WR Deandre Hopkins is a playmaker that could immediately bolster the Cowboys’ receiving room

Rumors are running rampant around the NFL right now as free agency approaches. One of the more talked about names recently has been Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Deandre Hopkins. It is no secret that his relationship with the Cardinals is nearing its end, however, recently there have been reports linking him to the Dallas Cowboys.

Johnny Venerable, who hosts the PHNX Cardinals Podcast, tweeted on Tuesday that the Dallas Cowboys are monitoring the trade market for Hopkins.

This comes after ‘Hopkins to Dallas’ started trending around the internet when Hopkins got on former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant’s Instagram live, appearing open towards a trade to the team.

The Cowboys need to add a playmaker this offseason across from CeeDee Lamb. While Lamb had his best season of his career in 2022, the Cowboys got little production from the rest of the position group. Hopkins is a player who could provide a different, yet impactful, presence at the position across from Lamb next season. Hopkins is known for his ability to come down with contested catches and being a sure-handed receiver in traffic. He would provide a great endzone target for QB Dak Prescott, and would warrant attention from the opposing defense, opening up more for Lamb and the rest of the receiver group.

The downside to Hopkins as a player has been his availability over his last two seasons with the Cardinals. He played ten games for the team in 2021, and just nine in the 2022 season. It appears the Cardinals are looking for a second-round pick along with a conditional pick or player in a trade for Hopkins.

In terms of trade value, that would be a great deal for the Cowboys. The Cowboys could secure an elite wide receiver while still keeping their first-round pick in the upcoming draft, using it for other needs. The question then turns toward if the Cowboys can afford him financially. Fortunately, Hopkins joined NFL personality Pat McAfee recently, and told him that if a trade happens, he would be flexible on his financials through the rest of his contract.

If these reports are true that it would only take a second-round pick, along with the fact that Hopkins would be flexible financially, the Cowboys should be all-in on getting a deal done with the Cardinals. Hopkins would greatly increase playmaking on the offensive end and would allow Dallas to address other areas of need in free agency and with their other picks in the draft.