NFL Rumors: Patriots ‘Wary’ Of DeAndre Hopkins ‘Culture Fit’ Problem?

It sure sounds (and looks) like DeAndre Hopkins had a positive experience in visiting with the New England Patriots on Wednesday and Thursday.

Whether that results in Hopkins signing a contract with New England remains to be seen. But it’s nonetheless encouraging if the Patriots truly want to add the free-agent wide receiver into their offense.

The visit itself indicates there’s at least some level of interest on both sides. Hopkins’ decision could hinge on several factors, though, including the Patriots’ willingness to acquiesce to whatever contractual or practice demands the five-time Pro Bowl selection might have on the open market.

Will Bill Belichick and company take the plunge? Ultimately, they might have no other choice, given the state of their receiver room, but New England’s stance still is part of the calculus, obviously, in determining where Hopkins will land after being released by the Arizona Cardinals.

“I think that’s a positive development,” NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran said Thursday on WEEI’s “Jones and Mego” of Hopkins posting a photo to Instagram from inside the Patriots locker room. “And what I hear is, I think people in the building are still wary, to an extent, of the culture fit. How much does he want to practice? What kind of hoops are the Patriots themselves going to have to jump through to accommodate the way he likes to approach the game?

“But, to me, if you watched OTAs this week or the minicamps, you could blatantly see that the optimism that I had about the on-paper potential is pretty much dashed by watching what they put on the field.”

The importance of Bill O’Brien returning as New England’s offensive coordinator after last season’s coaching debacle can’t be overstated. Quarterback Mac Jones undoubtedly is better positioned to succeed in his third NFL season with O’Brien — not Matt Patricia or Joe Judge — calling the shots on offense.

“And what I hear is, I think people in the building are still wary, to an extent, of the culture fit.”

Tom E. Curran on DeAndre Hopkins potentially signing with the Patriots

That said, questions remain about Jones’ supporting cast, from a talent perspective. Hopkins immediately would become the Patriots’ best offensive weapon, along with up-and-coming running back Rhamondre Stevenson.

“I wasn’t a huge DeAndre Hopkins guy previously,” Curran said Thursday on WEEI. “And now, reality is kinda setting in. And urgency is setting in. And you’ve got to win 10 or 11 games, Bill and Mac and everybody. You gotta.”

So, overall, what should we make of Hopkins’ trip to Gillette Stadium, which came on the heels of him meeting with the Tennessee Titans last week?

“My guess is it’s a fit visit,” Curran said. “It was interesting when (Titans head coach) Mike Vrabel said, ‘Look, we’re not interested in anybody who’s not interested in us.’ So, I think the Patriots could probably afford to be a little bit more strenuous in showing their appreciation and desire. But I think that the Patriots are going to say, ‘Here’s how we’re gonna do things. Here’s the offense. Here’s the role we see you fitting in with us. Do you want to do this? Here’s the money we’re gonna give you.’

“I just don’t think it’ll be a hard sell in which they’re saying, ‘You’re our missing piece.’ But I do think that they’ll say, ‘Look, you’re a piece that’s going to make everybody better here.’ “

Now, we wait.