Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury won’t be able to call any plays to get the ball to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins during the first six games of the 2022 season.
Hopkins was suspended six games for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy, which means Kingsbury will have to make other plans for how to move the ball in September and October. During a Friday press conference, Kingsbury was asked how the team is going to cope with the absence.
“The addition of Marquise will help,” Kingsbury said, via Darren Urban of the team’s website. “We just have to play better as an offense. It’s unfortunate he won’t be available, but I’m excited to get him back . . . it’ll be a real shot in the arm.”
Hopkins missed the final four games of the regular season and the Cardinals lost three of those contests. They also lost to the Rams in the playoffs with Hopkins out of action, so Kingsbury will have to find a better answer this time around if the team is going to avoid digging a deep hole for itself in the first half.