NFL Insider Believes Patriots Should Make This Move Before Training Camp

One NFL insider believes there’s an obvious way for the Patriots to put a cherry on top of their offseason.

While New England didn’t make big splash after big splash from mid-March into early summer, the organization did address a variety of shortcomings that plagued the team last season. The highlights included bringing on a legitimate offensive coordinator with a wealth of experience and assembling a promising group of up-and-comers through the draft.

But there might be one more move out there for the Patriots to make, and it’s one the franchise already has explored. ESPN’s Field Yates, for one, believes Bill Belichick and company should carry out its interest in DeAndre Hopkins and sign the free-agent wide receiver.

“The Patriots have already hosted the five-time All Pro on a free agent visit, so we’ve established that the interest is real,” Yates wrote in a column published Wednesday. “The team also has a need for a top wide receiver, which Hopkins would fill. Coach Bill Belichick’s affinity for Hopkins is no secret, and Hopkins reached his greatest heights as a player under offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien during their tenure together in Houston. With news that Hopkins and O’Brien have mended their previously frosty relationship, the match is simply too good to ignore. The Patriots have the financial flexibility to make Hopkins a legitimate offer.”

Hopkins, who spent time in New England last Thursday, reportedly gave the Patriots the impression that he’s “certainly interested” in playing for the six-time Super Bowl champions. But while New England reportedly is optimistic about its chances to land the 31-year-old, Hopkins doesn’t appear to be in any rush to sign the dotted line with a new team.

However, as Yates outlined, there are more than a few factors that suggest a Hopkins-Patriots partnership would be fruitful for both sides.