Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins is widely expected to be traded. It’s becoming increasingly clear that Hopkins is looking for a new contract. He seems to harbor some regrets about doing his last contract without an agent, given that he hired one last year.
Appearing with Pat McAfee, A.J. Hawk, and Pacman Jones, Jones made an observation and asked a question: “We know Bill O’Brien fucked up everything in Houston. You go to Arizona, and you still being this team player. When is it a time where a player has the numbers that you have going into year eleven to get a little bit selfish for yourself than keep grinding it out and keep getting the [short] end of the stick?”
“Obviously, last year, I didn’t have an agent,” Hopkins said. “The year before, I didn’t have an agent, when I went a contract in Arizona. And to answer your question, I went out and hired my lawyer, who’s an agent, who’s going to help me not get the short end of the stick.”
Implicit in this observation is the notion that Hopkins wants the long end of the stick, presumably in the form of more money. Although his current deal averages $27.5 million per year, Hopkins is due to make less than $20 million in 2023. At a time when the market for receivers is exploding, and when the salary cap keeps going up and up, it’s time for Hopkins to get paid.
“I think me hiring an agent to handle this process right now will get the results that we want,” Hopkins said.
The conversation moved to a different subject at that point. But it would be interesting to hear more from Hopkins about why he hired an agent, what he expects and agent to do, and why he has changed his position on going it alone.
That could be useful information for Lamar Jackson, at a time when he clearly needs an agent — and he needs to heard from respected and accomplished players the benefit of having someone help navigate the process of getting what the player deserves.