NFL Rumors: How Patriots Feel After Not Signing DeAndre Hopkins

The Patriots apparently aren’t dwelling on the results of the DeAndre Hopkins sweepstakes.

Hopkins was viewed as a viable option for New England after he was released by the Arizona Cardinals in late May. The Patriots were interested in the star wide receiver enough to host him for a free-agent visit, and the initial follow-up reports after the meeting in Foxboro, Mass., suggested it went well.

But New England clearly wasn’t as motivated to sign Hopkins as the Tennessee Titans, who reportedly are set to bring the five-time Pro Bowl selection aboard on a two-year deal worth up to $32 million. While the Patriots’ subdued Hopkins pursuit might have boiled down to finances, confidence in the current offense could have played a hand as well.

“DeAndre Hopkins chooses the Titans over the Patriots. That’s too bad, but I know people inside Gillette Stadium feel good about their offensive unit and personnel. The belief is they’ll be improved,” MassLive’s Mark Daniels tweeted Sunday.

New England’s 2023 offense certainly should be better than a season ago, but that’s not exactly a high bar to clear. The Patriots are the only team in their division without a true No. 1 wide receiver, and their offensive skill group pales in comparison to others across the AFC.

But NFL games aren’t won on paper, so we’ll have to wait and see how New England’s new-look offense fares on the gridiron.