Why Ex-Patriot Doubts DeAndre Hopkins Will Sign With New England

One former Patriot can't understand why anyone is convinced DeAndre Hopkins will take his talents to New England.

Yes, Hopkins took a free-agent visit to Foxboro, Mass., earlier this month and a recent report tabbed the Patriots as the "leader" in the Hopkins sweepstakes. But former linebacker Ted Johnson can't see the five-time Pro Bowl selection joining Mac Jones and company, and his reasoning isn't entirely due to finances.

"I think it's pie in the sky," Johnson said Tuesday on 98.5 The Sports Hub's "Zolak & Bertrand." "I don't know why there's so much momentum. There's a lot of talking heads that are, 'Oh yeah. D-Hop!' A lot of people are suggesting that's gonna happen. I think it's pie in the sky, I really do. It's money, and it's hard for people to wrap their arms around this -- the idea the Patriots might be cheaping out. I mean, they could get the guy right now if they paid him what he's looking for, which is anywhere in that $10-12 (million), maybe $15 million, at the most, range for at least one year. My feeling is the Patriots have gone way under that.

"So, I don't think he sees this as a viable option. I don't think people see the Patriots as a win-now team, so I don't think he wants to come here. I think he wants to win. He's been in Houston, he was traded to the Cardinals. He's never been a free agent before, so I think he wanted to enjoy the whole process of being recruited and courted. But I think he wants to play for a team he thinks is a legit contender, and I don't think players view the Patriots as that kind of team. So ultimately, at the price in which Bill (Belichick) is -- my guess is -- offering him makes it kind of silly, I think, to even talk about."

Perhaps Hopkins is taking a patient approach with his free agency in hopes of a more appealing suitor emerging closer to training camp. As of Thursday morning, Hopkins' only known offers are from the Patriots and the Titans, two teams that aren't expected to legitimately contend for Super Bowl LVIII.

The same can't be said for the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs, who reportedly could make a run at Hopkins later in the summer. If the 31-year-old still is unsigned at that juncture, it probably would be tough for him to turn down the chance to catch passes from Patrick Mahomes.