DeAndre Hopkins' name has swirled in trade talks, but to this point, he remains with the Cardinals.
He just might not be with them during offseason activities.
New Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon spoke with reporters on Tuesday as his team began its offseason strength and conditioning program, which notably did not include Hopkins, who was instead working out on his own elsewhere. After following the same uniform approach regarding Hopkins at the NFL Scouting Combine -- "I'm excited to have D-Hop on the team" -- Gannon's tone shifted a bit when asked if he expects to see the star receiver in Arizona this month.
"We’ll see. I’ve been in communication with D-Hop," Gannon said. "I want to do what’s best for him and us, at the same time. When he’s ready to come, he’ll come and improve his game, too."
Hopkins' first season with the Cardinals was a success, finishing with 1,407 yards and six touchdown catches in 16 games in 2020. Since then, he's played a total of 19 games, dealing with injuries and sitting out due to a suspension related to a violation of the league's performance-enhancing substances policy.
The regime that acquired Hopkins is now gone, with Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort replacing Kliff Kingsbury and Steve Keim. They have no attachment to Hopkins, who at 30 years old offers value to other receiver-needy teams.
Hopkins has spent his offseason training away from the team. If he does rejoin the Cardinals, he'll arrive to a new offense and new method of operation under Gannon, who is embarking on his first season without Kyler Murray available, as the quarterback continues his rehab from a season-ending knee injury.
Murray was in attendance Tuesday, and "wants to do everything he can to get out there when he can," Gannon said.
When he does, Hopkins' familiar face might or might not be there. It appears as if its trending toward the latter outcome.
For now, the status quo is fine. Gannon and Ossenfort have plenty of other work to accomplish. We'll see if that work includes a deal involving Hopkins.