Why DeAndre Hopkins to the New York Jets likely hinges on Aaron Rodgers | Yahoo Fantasy Football Forecast
Yahoo Sports’ Matt Harmon and Charles McDonald discuss the possibility of the Arizona Cardinals trading WR DeAndre Hopkins during this year's NFL Draft, including why the Jets could be a potential landing spot.
Video Transcript
[CHEERING]
MATT HARMON: I think what's interesting about this DeAndre Hopkins thing, Charles, is that I think he's probably going to end up being a draft day trade. And my question to you before we talk about these receiver prospects, if you're like a contender, would you rather trade for DeAndre Hopkins, or would you rather take a chance on a guy in the draft?
CHARLES MCDONALD: It kind of depends on where you are right now, right? Because I think the big thing with Hopkins is you've got to work out the contract and what that looks like for any team acquiring him, because it's not like he's-- you know, one of these guys that's on a cheap deal right now.
He was brought into Arizona to be like a franchise wide receiver, and then some Cardinals stuff happened. And I don't think that it's his fault, but it's-- it hasn't quite been, I don't think, the marriage that he was hoping it would be when he was traded to Arizona and ended up receiving that deal.
So, you know, I think-- you know, the conditional part I'm assuming has to do with them landing Aaron Rodgers.
MATT HARMON: Yeah.
CHARLES MCDONALD: Because I don't really see why this would be an appealing situation for really either party if they don't land Aaron Rodgers, because, like, once you-- once you get Aaron Rodgers, or are on the finish line, or, as Joe Douglas said at a fan event like a week or two ago-- or a week and a half ago-- he's coming. Aaron Rodgers is definitely coming, which is an interesting tactic when you don't have Aaron Rodgers just yet.
MATT HARMON: Yeah.
[LAUGHTER]
CHARLES MCDONALD: But that could be a whole other podcast on some-- but,you know, once you get Aaron Rodgers, like, the clock accelerates on what you're trying to do. Basically, you're trying to win a Super Bowl this year, so yeah. If you can get Aaron Rodgers, hell yeah, trade for DeAndre Hopkins.
Then you're looking at Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, and DeAndre Hopkins with Aaron Rodgers? That's, you know, about as-- as good as the Jets can get at this point in the offseason, so, you know, conditionally interested I think makes sense.
MATT HARMON: The reason that I think Hopkins might be appealing for a team like the Jets or anybody out there is that he is still at this point in his career a legit X receiver. Like, a big body who can go up and get it, who, I think, is underrated as a separator and underrated as a route runner, but a guy who can, obviously, high point the football, and play tethered to the line of scrimmage. Not like any sort of move around slot stuff, although we get a little bit of slot stuff with the Cardinals last year.
And when you look at this class, Charles, there's not a lot of guys that play that-- that can play that number one X receiver type role. So I think for a team that's looking for a big body X, that might make the Hopkins thing a little more plausible.