Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has returned to practice after missing three days with hamstring tightness.
There had been speculation Hopkins was holding out because the Cardinals have not given him a new contract, something he was said to have requested from the Texans prior to his shock trade. But he put that to bed on Twitter earlier in the week, and his return to the field will be a welcome sight for a Cardinals team looking to contend in the NFC West in 2020.
No Deandre Hopkins is not holding out. From the source. https://t.co/ok0mrlunP8
— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) August 18, 2020
MORE: Sporting News' full 2020 NFL season predictions
Hopkins' return also fulfills what coach Kliff Kingsbury said earlier in the week when he said Hopkins was ”getting better each day." Kingsbury also felt Hopkins' absence wouldn't impact his 2020 season.
"He's been so productive in this league. He's a pro's pro when it comes to knowing what it takes to have his body ready and his mind ready to perform at a high level Week 1," he said. "You'd obviously like Kyler to get a few more reps with him, but they got some great work in this summer and he's a guy who is going to present himself well on the field for a young quarterback. We don't worry too much about it, knowing what he's done in this league and what he's about."
Guess who's back. pic.twitter.com/zWfna9q71v
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 19, 2020
Hopkins is a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro who led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 2017 and has topped 1,000 yards in five of his seven seasons.
The Cardinals finished 5-10-1 and last in the NFC West last season but are expected to improve after quarterback Kyler Murray, the first overall pick in the 2019 draft, was named Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Hopkins was stunningly traded to the Cardinals from the Texans in the offseason for a 2020 second-round pick, a 2021 fourth and running back David Johnson.