With the 2023 NFL Draft just one month away, college prospects continue to show their stuff at pro days, hoping to impress NFL talent evaluators. Meanwhile, news and rumors surrounding NFL free agency haven’t stopped even though the market has been open for more than two weeks.
Let’s check in on the latest updates from around the league, including notes on DeAndre Hopkins, Odell Beckham Jr., and Jalen Carter. Be sure to bookmark our NFL Pro Day schedule and check back daily for the most important takeaways.
DeAndre Hopkins Wants To Play for a Contender
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has been a rumored trade candidate for the entire offseason. If he moves to a new team, Hopkins wants a contract extension and to play for a winning organization, according to Armando Salguero of Outkick.
Hopkins is under contract through 2024 under the terms of the deal he signed with Arizona in 2020. Any team that acquires the 31-year-old would inherit a two-year, $34.365 million pact. A new club could theoretically offer Hopkins a signing bonus and future guarantees in order to reduce his cap figures.
“Right now, I’m operating under the premise Hop is our starting X (receiver), and people are going to have to defend him,” Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said this week. “That’s probably a better question for (GM) Monti (Ossenfort), but (Hop) has been great, and I am looking forward to working with him.”
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Hopkins is scheduled to count for nearly $30 million on Arizona’s 2023 salary cap. That’s an untenable number for a rebuilding franchise, so a trade or release seems incredibly likely.
The Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and New England Patriots have all reportedly checked in on Hopkins in recent weeks, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds a new team to the list — the Baltimore Ravens. John Harbaugh’s club has been quiet in free agency, adding only former Patriots receiver Nelson Agholor on the offensive side of the ball.
Odell Beckham Jr. Has Offers on the Table
Odell Beckham Jr. showed up at this week’s league meetings hoping to land a job. OBJ spoke to decision-makers he’d previously worked with, including Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski and Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead, but it’s unclear how close he is to finding a new deal.
Beckham does have offers on the table, per Dan Graziano of ESPN. One of those offers may be from the New York Jets, whom Graziano says is the most likely destination for OBJ. Meanwhile, the Ravens have also “made a push” for Beckham.
According to Fowler, Beckham’s eventual contract will likely be worth $8 million annually, while incentives could bring it to the $10 million range.
Raiders Say Jalen Carter Is Still on Draft Board
Although one report indicated Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter is no longer on the Las Vegas Raiders’ draft board, head coach Josh McDaniels contradicted that assessment, as Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
Former Raiders draft pick Henry Ruggs was allegedly under the influence when he crashed into another car and killed a woman in November 2021, so it stands to reason that Las Vegas would avoid the optics of selecting Carter. However, Bonsignore says the Raiders are “doing their due diligence” on Carter, who will be one of their 30 allotted draft visitors in April.
Packers Targeting Veteran Offensive Additions
Jordan Love will take over as the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback once the Aaron Rodgers trade is completed, but Love will need someone to back him up. Journeyman Danny Etling would currently be penciled in as Green Bay’s No. 2, but the Packers might be looking for a veteran signal-caller.
“I think it would be nice to have someone who has some experience,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said this week. “We have a lot of respect for Danny and what he’s done and would be very comfortable with him in the two spot. But I think we’ll look at a lot of different options.”
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Many high-end backup quarterbacks have already come off the market, but some seasoned passers are still available. Carson Wentz, Teddy Bridgewater, Blaine Gabbert, and Brian Hoyer are among the veterans who could make sense for Green Bay.
Meanwhile, the Packers are also searching for help at wide receiver, where second-year players Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Samori Toure are atop the depth chart. “We’re gonna have to add to that room,” head coach Matt LaFleur said.