NFL off-season news updates

While the start of the 2023 NFL season might still be a few months away, that doesn't mean the actions around the league are on hiatus. Now is the time the top teams try to retain their best players, while the non-playoff teams are out to improve.

Opening of training camp isn't far off, and the news cycle is continuing. Here are some of the top stories surrounding the NFL over the last few days. 

Cardinals Release Hopkins

The Arizona Cardinals are overhauling the roster, have the worst Super Bowl futures odds (150-1) of any team, and last week, decided to release wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in a move that could have huge implications around the league.

Hopkins had spent the past three seasons in Arizona, and was set to come with a cap hit of over $30 million. It's not as if Hopkins hasn't produced, but the Cardinals are not in a position to pay anyone that sort of money. Hopkins missed the first six games in 2022, having failed a PED (performance-enhancing drug) test. 

There were several teams looking to acquire Hopkins at the trade deadline in 2022, but the Cardinals weren't willing to make that move. Arizona is set to take a $22 million dead-cap hit, but cutting Hopkins loose could eventually save them some money. 

Hopkins hasn’t been happy with his role in Arizona, and will have some suitors. However, he comes with definite question marks. 

Quarterback Issues in Vegas

The Las Vegas Raiders decided to ditch quarterback Derek Carr at the end of the 2022 season, and this franchise believed that it had a successor. There was a three year-contract with former San Francisco 49er Jimmy Garoppolo, but that pact might be in jeopardy before a snap is taken.

According to league sources, Garoppolo (injured foot) hasn't passed a physical, and the team could be looking to void the contract before it even goes into effect. 

Recently-retired Tom Brady just purchased a minority ownership stake in the team, and the Jimmy G saga is one that’s worth watching in the desert and beyond.

If you have faith in the Silver and Black, they are listed at 50-1 (+5000) to win the title, according to Super Bowl LVIII odds.

Gruden in NOLA

When Jon Gruden resigned/was fired by the Las Vegas Raiders back in 2021 after some less-than-flattering e-mail correspondence was released, it wasn't a shock that the National Football League wanted him gone. 

Gruden's not only back in the league, but now working with another team. The New Orleans Saints have tabbed him as an advisor to the staff, attempting to transform the offense,

Gruden will be reunited with Derek Carr, his former quarterback in Vegas. New Orleans, with a moribund offense last season, sees the tandem of Carr and Gruden changing that narrative.

Carr and Gruden need not be much in a substandard divisional group. The team is favored at +115 to win the NFC South, as per NFL division odds.