Hopkins (knee) could be ready to come off injured reserve if the Cardinals advance to the NFC Championship Game, but a return any earlier than that is considered "unrealistic," a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.

EDGE Analysis

Hopkins underwent surgery Friday to address a torn MCL, an injury that Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reported was expected to require a 2-to-4-month recovery timeline. The NFC Championship Game will be held Jan. 30 -- approximately seven weeks after Hopkins underwent surgery -- so the Cardinals may have some hope that the star wideout can narrowly beat the short end of that timeline. Ultimately, how Hopkins progresses in his recovery over the next month or so will dictate whether he's on track to play late in the postseason, and even in a best-case scenario, he would likely be on a limited snap count.