Craig Carton has soccer-like suggestion for Arizona Cardinals after DeAndre Hopkins release

The Cardinals released Hopkins last week with two years remaining on his contract. Formerly of the Houston Texans, Hopkins was sent to Arizona in what was considered at the time one of the most lopsided trades in recent NFL history. His time in the desert started off strong has he amassed 1,407 yards on 115 catches, including six touchdowns, in 2020. Injuries and a suspension marred Hopkins' next two campaigns as he played just 19 of a possible 34 games. He was suspended for six games at the beginning of last season after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

Even in limited time on the field in 2021 and 2022 and a notoriously shaky offensive line in front of quarterback Kyler Murray and his backups, Hopkins still put up a combined 1,289 yards from 106 catches and 11 receiving touchdowns.

Soccer fans and some American sports media types have always played with the fantasy of promotion/relegation in U.S. sports. Relegation, in particular, is a meme of sorts that's reserved for bottom rung teams that have been perennially bad for reasons beyond poor performances in games.

 
Arizona certainly hasn't made things easy in recent times. Last season, it was the talk around Murray's contract extension and a peculiar clause that mandated playbook study beyond team meetings. Their firing of head coach Kliff Kingsbury provided some comedy, but their hiring of Jonathan Gannon (both for tampering and Rooney Rule concerns) raised eyebrows around the league. The Cardinals, at least in Carton's mind, may have earned the boot because of another offseason of relative turmoil.