1 offseason move each NFL team must make
The NFL offseason is officially here and there should be a lot of activity. What offseason move should each team make to have a successful winter?
Now that Super Bowl LVII is in the books, NFL teams are preparing to shift their focus to the offseason as they aim to improve in 2023. Some squads will be looking to add the final piece to make a Super Bowl run next season while others will be attempting to set themselves up for long-term success by either cleaning up their salary cap situation or swinging trades to acquire assets in the form of young talent and draft picks.
There is still a month before the new league year begins, but teams often use this window to set up trades, make decisions on how to deploy the franchise tag, and attempt to re-sign players before they reach free agency. With that in mind, let’s take a look at one off-season move each NFL team should make this winter, beginning with the Arizona Cardinals.
Arizona Cardinals’ offseason move – Trade WR DeAndre Hopkins
Things have unraveled quickly in Arizona with Kliff Kingsbury gone after a disastrous 2022 season and Kyler Murray expected to miss half the 2023 campaign as he rehabs from a torn ACL. The situation has gotten so volatile that star receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who was brought in to be Murray’s go-to-guy, has requested a trade out of town.
It will be costly to deal Hopkins, who will leave Arizona with a $22 million dead cap hit upon being dealt, but there is no point to hold on to an unhappy veteran who will turn 31 in June. Hopkins was productive when he was on the field, catching 64 passes for 717 yards and three touchdowns in nine games, and can still help a contender.
The free agent wide receiver class is rather thin so there should be a sizeable trade market for Hopkins, which could benefit Arizona as it looks to rebuild. Landing a pair of draft picks, with one being a second-rounder, could allow the Cardinals to clean up their salary cap a little bit and find a cheaper replacement for Hopkins in the draft.
Expect teams like the New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, and Dallas Cowboys to inquire about Hopkins’ price tag. This would be a big win for the Cardinals, who could start a bidding war to increase the return they get for the star receiver.