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The Arizona Cardinals broke news yesterday morning at the start of the “legal tampering” period of Free Agency with some running back news. First, a transition tag for Kenyon Drake.
Then, some running back news:
Trade: Cardinals and Texans are agreeing to a trade that will send David Johnson to Houston, sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2020
Okay, so the Texans take part of Johnson’s contract and the Cardinals give up a pick for the rights to do so, or swap some picks, yeah?
Most of Twitter reacted similarly...if the Texans GAVE UP anything for the running back, it was a bad move. In fact, they should be RECEIVING picks for Johnson and Arizona would be in poor shape giving up picks (only having 6) for what would be a salary dump.
No one seemed to understand this take. Why would you have dealt w second or third just to salary dump DJ. You’d just keep him. https://t.co/sQFJUK5nKb
— Johnny (@JohnnyTouchdown) March 16, 2020
Then the follow-up news:
Texans will take on all of RB David Johmson’s salary.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2020
ALL of it? Oh no....what pick and how much did the Cardinals have to give up to the Texans?
And then the biggest news of the day in the NFL dropped...
Texans are trading DeAndre Hopkins to Arizona, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2020
like 20 minutes ago we were all like "lol if the Texans give up ANYTHING in the deal where they take on David Johnson's salary they're idiots" and then it turns out they're giving up DeAndre Hopkins
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) March 16, 2020
It happened extremely quickly, so fast that the takes couldn’t even settle in before the trade momentum swung from “bad” for the Texans if it wasn’t a high draft pick to “very very GOOD for Arizona (and terrible for Houston)
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 16, 2020
It was insane. The breakdown of how much of a steal this was rippled throughout the NFL.
Imagine making a trade where you could have paid DeAndre Hopkins $12.5M this year, but instead you’re choosing to pay David Johnson $11.25M.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) March 16, 2020
David Johnson: <runs for 3.6 YPC in 2018>
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 16, 2020
<runs for 3.9 YPC in 2019>
<loses job to Kenyon Drake>
Bill O'Brien: <picks up phone, dials Arizona>
O'Brien: Is your RB1 on the market?
Kingsbury: no, we just tagged Drake
O'Brien: I mean Johnson
Kingsbury: <runs fingers thru hair> https://t.co/OXdKIjDgGr
The Texans traded HOPKINS AND A 4TH to get a David Johnson with a huge salary and didn’t even get a first round pick back pic.twitter.com/QmRnOsJmxr
— Stephen A. Smith Burner (@SASBurnerAcct) March 16, 2020
Deshaun Watson having lunch, finding out his team tossed DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals in the David Johnson trade pic.twitter.com/iAbsPSibAZ
— BetOnline.ag (@betonline_ag) March 16, 2020
David Johnson for DeAndre Hopkins would get vetoed in most fantasy leagues with the team managers barred for life.
— Adam Rank (@adamrank) March 16, 2020
The most viral tweet of the moment from the Arizona Cardinals Subreddit sums it up the best with an Avengers meme where Thanos replies “Everything” in a moment from the movie but...with a more relevant twist:
— Arizona Cardinals | Reddit (@CardsSubreddit) March 16, 2020
It only got WORSE for the Texans slam after that, once WR Stefon Diggs, who’s not as reputable as Hopkins, was dealt for for a first and multiple day 3 picks...a higher value than what Arizona gave up:
Today, the Houston Texans traded DeAndre Hopkins for a $10 million of David Johnson's salary, a 2nd and a 4th.
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) March 17, 2020
The Vikings traded an on-par receiver in Stefon Diggs and got four picks, including a first rounder.
Let that sink in.
For Stefon Diggs, Vikings got:
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) March 17, 2020
1st rounder
5th rounder
6th rounder
2021 4th rounder
For DeAndre Hopkins, Texans got:
David Johnson
2nd rounder
Yeesh.
Stefon Diggs was traded for:
— SB Nation (@SBNation) March 17, 2020
• a 1st-rounder
• a 5th-roudner
• a 6th-rounder
• a 2021 4th-rounder
DeAndre Hopkins was traded for:
• David Johnson
• a 2nd-rounder
• a 2021 4th-rounder
• that's it
• no really, that's it
Wow. Cards got a steal.
WRs traded away for a 1st round pick:
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) March 16, 2020
Percy Harvin ✅
Roy Williams ✅
Joey Galloway ✅
Peerless Price ✅
Keyshawn Johnson ✅
Brandin Cooks ✅
Brandin Cooks again ✅
Amari Cooper ✅
Odell Beckham Jr. ✅
Randy Moss ✅
DeAndre Hopkins ❌
The idea that Texans-Cards deal is Hopkins for David Johnson and a second, and Houston is like "No, we need you to flip fourth-rounders with us to make this deal work." "OK, we can do that."
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 16, 2020
Over the past five seasons, DeAndre Hopkins has:
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 16, 2020
▪️504 catches (2nd most in NFL)
▪️6,590 receiving yards (2nd most in NFL)
▪️46 receiving TD (2nd most in NFL)
What a day for the Cardinals.
How did the Cardinals players and others react around the league?
ARIZONA CARDINALS:
10+11+13 = SCARY SIGHT
— Christian Kirk (@ckirk) March 16, 2020
Welcome to the squad bro let’s eat! @DeAndreHopkins
BEST NEWS IN 2020!!! https://t.co/DavHtDokli
— ♛Chandler Jones (@chanjones55) March 16, 2020
Chase Edmonds, Cardinals backup RB, went viral with his reactions:
HAHAHAHHAHA BAFOONS https://t.co/ZXp3WmRmSs
— Chase Edmonds (@ChaseEdmonds22) March 16, 2020
Yooooo finally. We got a whole ass armed robbery
— Chase Edmonds (@ChaseEdmonds22) March 16, 2020
Zero disrespect. That’s big bro and I wish him well. But we basically only gave up a 2nd round for dhop. And that my friend. Is robbery
— Chase Edmonds (@ChaseEdmonds22) March 16, 2020
And of course, QB1 himself with his newest weapon...
LETS GET RIGHT! @DeAndreHopkins
— Kyler Murray (@K1) March 16, 2020
In short here’s how it turned out in the end and why fans are excited:
#Cardinals offense includes...
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) March 16, 2020
Kyler Murray
Kenyan Drake
Deandre Hopkins
Larry Fitzgerald
Christian Kirk
Andy Isabella
Kliff Kingsbury calling plays. Holy cow.
And in the end, no matter what you might think of Cardinals GM Steve Keim, he walked away with a win today...
Steve Keim has missed on a lot of first-round picks in his Cardinals GM tenure.
— DeAndre Hopkins Fan Account (blakemurphy7) (@blakemurphy7) March 16, 2020
He's also traded 2 2nds for Chandler Jones and DeAndre Hopkins.