When the 2022 regular season begins in September, the Arizona Cardinals will be forced to play one-third of their games without one of the best receivers in the NFL. According to multiple reports, superstar wideout DeAndre Hopkins is being suspended six games for violating the league's PED policy and won't be eligible to return until Week 7, in late October. A massive blow to the Cardinals.
Hopkins' suspension comes four days after Arizona traded away its first-round pick in the 2022 draft to acquire Baltimore Ravens wideout Hollywood Brown. Hopkins apologized in a statement on Monday, saying that he was "confused and shocked" to learn that a November drug test showed traces of a banned substance. The five-time Pro Bowler is allowed to play in the preseason, and can practice with the team until the start of the regular season.
"Do I know what drug it is? No, I don't. Unless you're Hopkins, or part of their medical staff, you don't," JR said during Monday's edition of the JR SportBrief show. "But it doesn't matter what drug he used to enhance his performance, or potentially heal from his injury. Kyler Murray is short a Pro Bowler, an All-Pro receiver. And this is the same Kyler Murray who's been whining, moaning, and bitching about his contract...
"The Cardinals knew this was going to happen. And so now Murray will get a chance to throw the ball to Brown... That's an okay group, and an okay set of receivers. But that isn't going to get Murray that new contract he wants. And that's not going to move these Cardinals into legitimate playoff contention... How the hell are these Cardinals supposed to compete, in this NFC West?... Cards are going to have a tough time maybe even getting a wild-card spot."
Hopkins -- who spent seven seasons with the Houston Texans before being traded to the Cardinals in 2020 -- had a forgettable 2021 campaign. The 29-year-old star amassed just 572 yards on 42 catches with eight touchdowns over 10 games, and missed eight weeks due to hamstring and knee injuries. In the previous year, Hopkins had 1,407 yards -- the second-highest mark of his career -- with six scores and 115 receptions (160 targets).
Of the eight games Hopkins missed, four came in December and one came during the NFC playoffs. Arizona lost in embarrassing fashion to the division rival Los Angels Rams in the wild-card round, and Murray's overall numbers were ugly. The former fist-overall pick threw for only 137 yards with a pair of interceptions and a career-low 40.9 passer rating, and one of his turnovers was a costly blooper-reel pick-six.
JR's complete thoughts on Hopkins' suspension and Arizona's status as an NFC contender can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the JR SportBrief show on Twitter @JRSportBrief, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.