Patriots Player Makes Case For DeAndre Hopkins To New England
Would the Patriots be a good fit for the star wideout?
The Arizona Cardinals on Friday released star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Patriots linebacker Mack Wilson seemingly would like to see him land in New England.
Shortly after the Cardinals announced Hopkins’ release, Wilson suggested on Twitter that the Patriots would be a good fit for what Hopkins is looking for in his next team: “stable management,” a quarterback “who loves the game” and “a great defense.”
Hopkins laid out that criteria earlier this week during an appearance on the “I AM ATHLETE” podcast. In that same interview, the five-time Pro Bowler said he’d heard “rumors” of the Patriots’ interest in him.
New England is indeed interested in Hopkins, according to multiple reports after his release, but they’ll surely face competition from other NFL suitors. Hopkins, who turns 31 in June, is past his prime, but he still can be a game-changing player for a team in the market for receiver help. It’s easy to envision him garnering interest from a handful of Super Bowl contenders, including the AFC East rival Buffalo Bills. The presence of Bill O’Brien, Hopkins’ former head coach in Houston, on the Patriots’ coaching staff is another potential hurdle.
It’s also unclear what type of contract Hopkins — who’s received overwhelming praise from New England head coach Bill Belichick in the past — will command in free agency and what price the Patriots would be willing to pay for his services. They entered Friday with just over $14 million in salary cap space, per OverTheCap.
The Patriots’ receiving corps currently consists of JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton, Tre Nixon and sixth-round rookies Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas.
