Getty DeAndre Hopkins, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals.
The New England Patriots offered a contract to star free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini.
Hopkins, who also received an offer from the Tennessee Titans, has yet to sign a new deal since his May 26 release from the Arizona Cardinals. Russini reported that Hopkins will take his time.
“His sales job continues trying to get more teams interested at this point, because right now, we know that there are only two teams that have had DeAndre Hopkins come to their facility,” Russini said on “NFL Live” on Thursday, June 22.
“I was told by sources close to the situation that Hopkins is going over some of the offers from both of those teams, the Titans and the Patriots,” Russini added. “He’s mulling over and trying to come up with a decision with what he wants to do.”
@diannaESPN Video: “Hopkins is going over some of the offers from both of those teams, the Titans and the Patriots. He’s mulling over and trying to come out with a decision with what he wants to do, and I was told to be very patient here.”
Hopkins visited the Patriots and Titans last week, but he hasn’t visited another team since. The three-time All-Pro remains unsigned with almost five weeks left before training camps open in late July.
“I was told to be very patient here,” Russini continued regarding Hopkins’ timeframe. “This isn’t something that’s going to go down in the next 24 or 48 hours. It’s going to take some time for DeAndre Hopkins to come up with his final decision of where he wants to play.”
DeAndre Hopkins Has Vested Interest in Waiting
Hopkins waiting doesn’t come as a total surprise. ESPN’s Adam Schefter previously explained that there’s truly no rush for a free agent such as Hopkins to sign during the quietest period of the offseason.
“It’s been a flat market. It doesn’t sound like he’s in any rush to [sign] a deal,” Schefter said. “You don’t have to sign in the middle of June when you can wait until right before training camp.
“For all we know, some team suffers an injury, some team loses a receiver, the dynamics change and shift, and there could be more leverage at some point in time for DeAndre Hopkins,” Schefter added.
This Kyler Murray to DeAndre Hopkins connection for a TD was ridiculous.
“So he can listen to Tennessee, he can listen to New England, he can see what they’re offering, but there’s no rush,” Schefter continued. “He can wait until a firmer offer from another team materializes. Doesn’t sound like he’s in a rush to do anything right now.”
For now, the Patriots at least have the benefit of a positive visit with Hopkins. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Hopkins “gave the impression he’s certainly intrigued, interested in playing with New England.”
Bill Belichick, DeAndre Hopkins Visited at Length
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer noted that Hopkins visited with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick for a while during the visit. Hopkins and Belichick had a notable chat at a December 2022 game between the Patriots and Cardinals.
“But I think one thing that came across is this is going to have to be on Bill’s terms,” Breer said on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Toucher & Rich Podcast” last week. “And I think the fact that Bill and Hopkins spent one-on-one time at the end of the visit, tells me that those terms have been discussed.”
“And are Bill’s terms now getting closer to what Hopkins’ terms for going to a team would be? That to me is the question,” Breer added. “Because I still think money is a factor. If money was less of a factor, I think he’d be a Buffalo Bill or a Kansas City Chief now.”
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Insider Delivers Key Update on Patriots-DeAndre Hopkins Rumblings