It feels as if DeAndre Hopkins won't be wearing an Arizona Cardinals uniform next season, and trade speculation has continued to pick up specifically as it relates to the New England Patriots.
One well-sourced Patriots beat reporter, Boston Sports Journal's Greg Bedard, added to those rumors Wednesday night. Bedard, while speaking the "Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast," expressed how he believes New England could acquire Hopkins in large part because of the potential trade package for the 30-year-old wideout.
The Cardinals reportedly are looking to receive a second-round pick as well as a conditional pick or player in exchange for Hopkins, not an overwhelming price for a five-time Pro Bowler.
"I think there's a reasonable chance that it could be the Patriots that he's dealt to," Bedard said on the podcast. "I mean, I'm not reporting anything. But like you look at the parameters, it's leaked out that the Cardinals have parameters of the deal and from what I understand it means that they have multiple offers and they know what the ballpark is. And the talk is like a second-round pick and then a conditional pick. That's a Patriots deal. That's the type of Patriots' deal that they do all the time."
The Patriots have been linked to Hopkins for months, especially after Patriots head coach Bill Belichick shared his admiration for the star receiver with a Week 14 embrace. New England even emerged as a betting favorite to land Hopkins in January and NFL Media's Ian Rapoport hinted a potential Hopkins-Patriots partnership could work.
"I don't know, I think there's a chance," Bedard said, prior to referencing Belichick's feelings towards the player and sharing Bill O'Brien's relationship with Hopkins has been "completely overblown," which also would be a positive for New England.
Any team that trades for Hopkins this offseason would inherit base salaries of $19.5 million in 2023 and $14.9 million in 2024. Rapoport, however, shared that Hopkins would be "flexible" on the last two years of his contract likely indicating an extension wouldn't be needed in order for him to be happy entering 2023.
