Cardinals, DeAndre Hopkins finalizing contract extension

The Arizona Cardinals are ensuring they keep DeAndre Hopkins happy before the start of the 2020 season.

Once the 2020 NFL league year commenced, no one thought that the Houston Texans would willingly trade away star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Every NFL fan and pundit’s jaws had to be picked up off the floor after seeing the Texans traded Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for mid-round draft picks and running back David Johnson. Nearly six months since acquiring him, the Cardinals are making Hopkins a happy camper.

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Cardinals and Hopkins are close to reaching a contract extension to “properly compensate their star.” This comes days after the Los Angeles Chargers signed wideout Keenan Allen to a four-year, $80.1 million contract extension.

DeAndre Hopkins had been looking for a new deal in Houston

The reason behind Houston trading Hopkins in the first place was that he wanted a new contract extension that would pay him $18-20 million annually and would hold out if he didn’t get it, per ESPN’s Dianna Russini.

With the Texans planning to give long-term deals with quarterback Deshaun Watson and left tackle Laremy Tunsil, the team had no space to facilitate such a move. So, they moved him to Arizona, where general manager Steve Keim promised Hopkins’ agent that they would give the wideout a new deal, per Howard Balzer of Sports Illustrated.

Hopkins is coming off three-consecutive 1,000 receiving yard campaigns with the Texans. Through 15 games last season, Hopkins hauled in 104-of-150 targets for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns.

This upcoming weekend, Hopkins takes the field with someone not named Deshaun Watson throwing him the ball. Now, he’ll have dual-threat passer Kyler Murray throwing passes his way in head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s Air Raid offense. Not to mention, he’ll get to lineup alongside Christian Kirk and the legendary Larry Fitzgerald.

Details of the deal are currently unknown, but with 2020 being a season of high expectations, the Cardinals are ensuring they get off to a great start by locking in Hopkins to a long-term contract.