The big NFL news from Sunday was the report that former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, released in May after three seasons with the team, is expected to sign a two-year contract to join the Tennessee Titans.
This move, while it is mostly inconsequential to the Cardinals in terms of games, does both potentially help them and hurt them.
Hopkins makes the Titans a better team, potentially helping them win more games.
Because the Cardinals own the Titans’ third-round draft pick in 2024, a better Titans team means that pick is not as valuable.
But the Titans play in the AFC South with the Houston Texans, who are not expected to be very good in 2023. The addition of Hopkins to Tennessee makes a potential upset win by the Texans of Tennessee far less likely. If the Titans can beat the Texans twice, then that helps the Cardinals because Arizona also owns Houston’s 2024 first-round pick.
More Houston losses means a better pick for the Cardinals.
So while Hopkins will not be contributing to the Cardinals in 2023 on their roster, how he does could impact their draft status in 2024.
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Story originally appeared on Cards Wire