Patriots Rumors: Pats Showing Interest In These Big-Name Wideouts

The Patriots reportedly are mulling a trade for a premier wide receiver.

New England has called the Arizona Cardinals about DeAndre Hopkins and the Denver Broncos about Jerry Jeudy, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reported Wednesday.

Hopkins and Jeudy both had been rumored as possible trade targets for the receiver-needy Patriots, who lost top wideout Jakobi Meyers to the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency on Tuesday.

Hopkins is a five-time Pro Bowler who remained productive this season at age 30, but it’s unclear where his relationship with Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien stands after the wideout’s messy 2020 exit from Houston.

Jeudy doesn’t have the same track record of NFL success but caught 67 passes for 972 yards and six touchdowns this past season in a bad Broncos offense. He’s also much younger (24 in April) and played at one of the Patriots’ favorite collegiate programs, Alabama.

The price tag for Jeudy likely will be steeper, however, as Howe reported Denver wants “at least a first-round pick” for the fourth-year pass-catcher.

The Patriots also are in the mix for two of the most prominent receivers in this year’s lean free agent class. NFL Media’s Mike Giardi reported they “have remained engaged” with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Odell Beckham Jr.

The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan reported the Patriots have “serious interest” in Smith-Schuster, who won a Super Bowl this season with the Kansas City Chiefs. The former Pittsburgh Steelers star posted a 78-933-3 receiving line for KC and still is just 26 years old.

The Patriots currently have wideouts DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton, Lynn Bowden and Tre Nixon under contract for the 2023 season.