Cardinals' Kyler Murray: Affected by Hopkins' suspension

Murray will be without DeAndre Hopkins to start the 2022 season after the NFL handed the wide receiver a six-game suspension Monday for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances, The Athletic reports.

Murray's offseason thus far hasn't been lacking in drama, as the quarterback notably expressed dissatisfaction with both the Cardinals and his contract. The team picked up the fifth-year option on his rookie deal April 27 and then appeased him by acquiring wide receiver and college teammate Marquise Brown from the Ravens last Thursday. Brown was set to join Hopkins atop the depth chart at receiver, but the former now should serve as Murray's No. 1 option for the first six contests of the upcoming campaign. Aside from Brown, Murray will have wideouts A.J. Green, Rondale Moore and Antoine Wesley, tight ends Zach Ertz and Trey McBride and running James Conner to work with as pass-catching options once Week 1 arrives. Whether Murray can fare better sans Hopkins this year versus 2021 is uncertain, but as Field Yates of ESPN notes, the signal-caller's completion percentage dropped seven points (72 to 65), while his yards per attempt went down 2.2 YPA (8.8 to 6.6) when Hopkins wasn't on the field last season.