Cardinals’ Hopkins gets 6-game ban

The Cardinals are going to have to figure out a way to score points and win games without their top receiver. Three-time All-pro Deandre Hopkinswas suspended without pay for six games for violating the NFL’S policy on performance-enhancing substances, the league announced Monday. It’s a stunning blow for the Cardinals, who finished with an 11-6 record last season but faded down the stretch when Hopkins was out of the lineup because of injuries. The Cardinals had an 8-2 record when Hopkins was in the lineup and just a 3-5 mark, including the playoffs, when he was not. Hopkins, who turns 30 next month, played in 10 games last season, catching 42 passes for 572 yards and eight touchdowns. He missed much of the last half of the season, including the team’s playoff loss to the Rams, because of hamstring and knee injuries. Hopkins has been one of the league’s most productive receivers during his nine-year career, which includes six 1,000-yard seasons. He played his first seven seasons with the Texans before being traded in 2020 to the Cardinals.