DeAndre Hopkins wasn't surprised by trade to Cardinals

The trade that sent DeAndre Hopkins from the Houston Texans to the Arizona Cardinals last month didn't necessarily surprise the star wide receiver. 

"It wasn't a big surprise to me after the year," Hopkins said Friday on a conference call, according to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss. "I was preparing for it."

Of course, Hopkins was preparing for a trade. He didn't have a great relationship with head coach Bill O'Brien, and that deteriorated relationship would've only gotten worse if Hopkins stayed in Houston.

While he's off to arguably a worse team in Arizona, Hopkins is excited for the opportunity to play with a young group of guys.

"I was very excited, actually, about it because [of] what Arizona has been building, having a young quarterback, a young team and also having veterans," Hopkins said.

The 27-year-old will earn $12.5 million in 2020 with his pay set to increase until the last year of his current deal in 2022. 

Hopkins had 104 receptions for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns last season with the Texans. He's had five seasons with 1,000-plus yards (three consecutive), and he's on pace to record his fourth consecutive 1,000-plus yard season in 2020.

With Hopkins in the fold, Arizona also has the likes of Andy Isabella, A.J. Richardson, Hakeem Butler, D.J. Foster and Kenyan Drake on offense. 

The Cardinals will likely be a much better team in 2020 after going 5-10-1 last season, and Hopkins can help take them to the next level.