DeAndre Hopkins Dec 13, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) reacts during the first half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

In what was a rather surprising move, the Arizona Cardinals announced this week that they had released veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, making him a free agent eligible to sign with any team in the league. However, it looks like it might not be easy for Hopkins to find his next team.

As NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated explains, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills were the only teams that had “substantive” trade discussions with Arizona about Hopkins, but neither one would be likely to sign him “under current circumstances.”

“• The Chiefs and Bills were the only teams to have substantive trade talks with Arizona.

• As was the case with Kansas City, contract was the issue for Buffalo.

• KC made progress, but @OBJ’s deal ($15M base) more or less blew that progress up,” Breer said in a tweet.

“As for where this goes next, I’d say the price will dictate that. Under current circumstances, unlikely KC or Buffalo go get him. If his price drops (both teams offered incentive-heavy deals), then … maybe. (Both KC and Buffalo talked directly to Hopkins, and liked him.),” Breer said in a follow-up tweet.

This is pretty brutal news for a receiver that was considered one of the league’s best not too long ago, and the NFL world had plenty to say about it on Twitter.

Hopkins will surely find a team before the start of the 2023 NFL season, but it might be at a lower price than he hopes.

[Albert Breer]