The six-game suspension to be served by Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins will be a costly one.
Assuming his contract contains the strongest permissible forfeiture language under the labor deal, the suspension will expose Hopkins to the loss of six game checks. At a base rate of $6.65 million, he’ll lose 6/18ths of his salary for the season. That’s $2.21 million.
He’s also subject to a 6/18th forfeiture of his 2022 signing-bonus allocation of $5.5 million. That’s $1.83 million. And the conversion of a $10.65 million roster bonus due in March 2022 to a guaranteed payment means that he’ll lose 6/18ths of the 2022 allocation. That’s another $1.183 million.
(Hopkins also has a $2.25 million option-bonus allocation. However, because that money wasn’t paid this year, it’s not subject to forfeiture.)
That’s a total loss of $5.223 million. It also voids his guaranteed salary for 2022, allowing the Cardinals to cut him with no further financial obligation -- if they so choose.
In all, it’s a costly suspension for Hopkins. And it makes the trade for Hollywood Brown even smarter for Arizona.
