Mac Jones Would ‘Love’ For Patriots To Sign DeAndre Hopkins

FOXBORO, Mass. — Count Mac Jones among those who would love to see the Patriots sign DeAndre Hopkins. 

The quarterback said Monday that while he’s confident in New England’s current group of pass-catchers, he’d be fully on board with the team adding Hopkins, who reportedly is set to visit the Patriots this week. 

“I think that’s definitely a hypothetical, but I think DeAndre’s a great player,” Jones said after Day 1 of mandatory Patriots minicamp. “You watch his film from college all the way through the NFL, he’s done a great job. So obviously, we’d love to have him. But we do have a great group of guys.”

Head coach Bill Belichick confirmed the Patriots have been in contact with Hopkins but wouldn’t divulge specifics about the wide receiver’s reported visit. Hopkins has been an unrestricted free agent since the Arizona Cardinals released him last month. He visited the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. 

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The Patriots have been down two of their top wideouts of late with injuries sidelining JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton. On Monday, DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne headlined a receiving corps that also featured receiver/running back Ty Montgomery, Tre Nixon, Raleigh Webb and rookies Demario Douglas, Malik Cunningham and Ed Lee. (Sixth-round rookie Kayshon Boutte was absent, as well.)

Tight ends Mike Gesicki and Hunter Henry also project as major contributors in the Patriots’ passing game.

“I’ve been really pleased with the playmakers that we have on our team,” Jones said. “We’ve come out here and really bought into the system, and that’ll really show in training camp and preseason and stuff. It’s sometimes harder to show that out here, but I’ve been really pleased with the tight ends, running backs and all the receivers — the young guys, the old guys like (Parker) and everybody.

“We have a good group, and I definitely feel like we just need to keep growing together. Whoever’s in that room, we’re going to try and dominate together.”

Still, even at full strength, the Patriots don’t have a pass-catcher on the level of Hopkins, who’s made five Pro Bowls and three All-Pro first teams and remained productive last season at age 30. Bourne also advocated for New England to sign Hopkins, even though doing so could push him down the pecking order.

“I’m a fan of D-Hop,” Bourne said last Friday. “It would be cool. I don’t really know the gist of what’s going on, but yeah, he’s a great player. … Just what he’s done over his career and just watching him when I was younger. And he’s just a great leader, so if anything was to happen, he’s a great leader.”

He added: “Great player, so anything that would help us win, I’m in.”