DeAndre Hopkins freezes Dak Prescott, Joe Burrow off top-5 QB list amid Cardinals trade rumors

While DeAndre Hopkins is still under contract with the Arizona Cardinals, there are rumblings that he might be on his way out via trade.

Considering that possibility, he shared the five quarterbacks he’d like to play with. Hopkins revealed his list during an appearance on the I AM ATHLETE podcast. Here’s a hint: it doesn’t include Dak Prescott and Joe Burrow.

He said to former NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall and co-host Ashley Nicole Moss:

"I will have to say one of my favorite quarterbacks that I've been watching since he came in the league is Josh Allen. He reminds me of a new school Andrew Luck. I love Josh Allen. Jalen Hurts—Houston kid. You're a dog, Jalen. Number three ... Patrick Mahomes, obviously."

"Number four, I gotta go with an underdog. Not a lot of people respect this guy as a throwing quarterback, Lamar. Lamar Jackson, obviously."

When the three-time First Team All-Pro member struggled to name his fifth, Marshall suggested:

“Dak Prescott? Any of these young rookie quarterbacks stand out to you? Do you want to catch a ball from a young player, or are you past that point in your career?”

DeAndre Hopkins responded:

“I’m past that point in my career. But I heard the quarterback we got from Houston (C.J. Stroud) was pretty good. I like him. My grandfather would send me his highlights on YouTube.”

“But my number five quarterback, man, ‘cause there’s some good quarterbacks out there that’s young and good. I'll have to go with my dude in San Diego, with the Chargers (Los Angeles quarterback Justin Herbert).”

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Where will DeAndre Hopkins play in 2023?

The general managers of the quarterbacks DeAndre Hopkins mentioned should at least explore trade possibilities with the Arizona Cardinals. Adding a wideout of his caliber would boost their chances of winning in 2023.

However, Hopkins’ recent conduct might suggest that he's leaning towards the Buffalo Bills as his preferred destination. Aside from naming Josh Allen first, he reacted positively in this video below from NFL on CBS. Von Miller also made his pitch to recruit the former Clemson standout.

He also had a smile on his face when the Kansas City Chiefs were mentioned. Hence, Mahomes is on his list. CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin also predicted the Chiefs as one of the top landing spots for Hopkins.

There were reports that the Baltimore Ravens were interested in having him even before Lamar Jackson signed his five-year, $260 million contract extension. However, while the Ravens signed Odell Beckham Jr., Hopkins admitted that playing with the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player would be an honor.

His contract will be the biggest concern regardless of where DeAndre Hopkins plays next. He will earn a $19.4 million base salary and count for $30.7 million against the cap. Either he agrees to restructure his contract, or the Cardinals absorb some of his 2023 pay for a trade to take place.