This Patriots Receiver Wants Team To Sign DeAndre Hopkins

FOXBORO, Mass. — DeAndre Hopkins reportedly is set to visit the Patriots next week. Kendrick Bourne hopes he sticks around.

Speaking after Friday’s organized team activities practice, Bourne said signing Hopkins would be a great move for New England.

“I’m a fan of D-Hop,” the veteran Patriots receiver said. “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.”

Asked directly if he would like to play with Hopkins, Bourne replied: “Yeah, that would be cool. … Great player, so anything that would help us win, I’m in.”

Bourne’s pitch to the five-time Pro Bowler, who already has one visit scheduled with the Tennessee Titans and surely has garnered interest from other clubs?

“Come on through, man,” Bourne said. “We need any help we can get to win.”

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Safety Adrian Phillips wouldn’t entertain a question about the Patriots potentially landing Hopkins, but he did have high praise for the wideout.

“Hands,” Phillips said. “He catches everything. His whole highlight reel is one-handed (catches) and stuff like that. He’s a physical guy, and he’s able to turn it on at any moment.”

Hopkins was one of the NFL’s most prolific receivers while playing under current Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien in Houston, and the 31-year-old remained productive on a bad Arizona Cardinals team last season. From his return from a PED suspension in Week 7 through quarterback Kyler Murray’s season-ending injury in Week 14, Hopkins led the NFL in receptions and ranked fourth in receiving yards. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick raved about him ahead of the teams’ December matchup, comparing him to Hall of Famer Cris Carter and saying he’s “every bit as good as anybody I’ve ever coached against.”

The Patriots made moves to bolster their receiving corps this offseason by signing JuJu Smith-Schuster and receiving-focused tight end Mike Gesicki, but they stick lack the type of Pro Bowl-caliber pass-catcher that most top contenders boast. Even at his advanced age, Hopkins would fill that void.

New England’s receiver room currently features Smith-Schuster, Bourne, DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton, Tre Nixon, Raleigh Webb, sixth-round draft picks Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas, and undrafted rookies Malik Cunningham and Ed Lee.