Arizona Cardinals release receiver DeAndre Hopkins

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals released three-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in a salary cap move Friday after they failed to find a trading partner in the offseason.

The Cardinals made the move three seasons after acquiring Hopkins in a trade with Houston and signing him to a $54.5 million contract extension. The soon-to-be 31-year old Hopkins would have counted close to $31 million against the cap this season.

His cap hit in dead money is $22.6 million.

Hopkins had 221 catches for 2,696 yards and 17 touchdowns in 35 games with Arizona. His most famous catch was a last-second heave from Kyler Murray in the end zone against the Buffalo Bills in 2020 that became known as “Hail Murray.”

Hopkins had a franchise-record 115 catches for 1,407 yards and six touchdowns in his first season with the Cardinals but he missed seven games in the second season with knee and hamstring injuries and the first six games of last season while serving a six-game suspension after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

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