The veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins was released by the Arizona Cardinals on Friday, putting an end to his five-time Pro Bowler tenure with the team after three seasons.
Hopkins had expressed his desire to be released during the previous month, but he persisted in exercising while the team gathered for the season's final activities.
In the end, it appears that the Cardinals failed to find Hopkins' desired level of compensation in a trade and pressed forward with him.
Hopkins' release makes him an immediate free agent, allowing the Cardinals to free up more than $7 million in salary cap space this season because the release occurred before June 1st.
There were still two years left on his contract, which came from an extension that was signed in September 2020.
According to several reports, the Cardinals will still be required to absorb around $22 million in lost revenue, but they won't be required to pay Hopkins until 2024.