The New England Patriots have been named a potential landing spot for this star wide receiver in NFL free agency.
Nov 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (8) runs with the ball against Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss (21) during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
The New England Patriots will head into the NFL offseason with a plethora of needs up and down the roster, but perhaps none of them are more pressing than at wide receiver.
The Patriots have probably the worst set of receivers in football, so there is no question that New England will try to address the issue in the spring.
But who could the Pats pursue?
While Tee Higgins is the most commonly mentioned pass-catcher that the Patriots could target, there will be other options, and Justin Leger of NBC Sports Boston has named DeAndre Hopkins as a possibility.
“The Patriots lost the Hopkins sweepstakes in the 2022 offseason. Perhaps the opportunity to work with a promising young QB could entice him to sign next spring,” Leger wrote.
Hopkins began the 2024 campaign with the Tennessee Titans but was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in October. He has logged 32 catches for 373 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games.
There are definitely a couple of hang ups with a potential Hopkins deal, though.
First of all, New England should be aiming to get younger, not older. Hopkins is 32-years-old and is clearly long past his prime. Yes, he is one year removed from a 1,000-yard campaign, but even then, he wasn’t incredibly impressive.
Then, there is the issue of whether or not Hopkins would even want to join the Pats.
At this stage of Hopkins’ career, you would think he would prioritize playing for a contender above all else. He may end up winning a Super Bowl with the Chiefs this season, but even if he does, he will probably want to add more hardware to his collection.
And if Hopkins doesn’t win in Kansas City this year? He will almost surely want to take another stab at a championship in 2025.
Hopkins to Foxborough may seem like an interesting idea in theory, but it probably won’t happen.
