The New England Patriots did what they could to upgrade the weapons this offseason. Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster left the Kansas City Chiefs to sign in New England along with tight end Mike Gesicki, who departed from the Miami Dolphins.
While both of those players are good additions, the Patriots should not shy away from adding more talent should the opportunity present itself. And, based on recent rumors, that is exactly what New England is doing.
According to Dov Kleiman on Twitter, there is optimism that the Patriots are going to be able to work out a contract with DeAndre Hopkins this week. Hopkins, who was released by the Arizona Cardinals a few weeks ago, is set to visit Gillette Stadium on Thursday for a meeting. Jeff Howe of The Athletic provided some insight as well.
Landing Hopkins would be a huge addition to the Patriots. Their wide receiver group is deep with Kendrick Bourne, DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton and rookies Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas behind Smith-Schuster. But, that group is lacking a true alpha, the No. 1 go-to receiver for Mac Jones.
That is a role that Smith-Schuster has struggled in throughout his career, as he performs at a much higher level when he is the No. 2 receiver. All of the other options are better deployed as complementary pieces, but Hopkins is a legitimate star at the position.
The multi-time All-Pro has had some issues staying on the field in recent seasons, missing 15 games the last two years. But, when on the field, he still plays at a very high level. Adding him to the Patriots’ offense would certainly be the kind of boost Jones needs to take his performance to that next level.
The biggest hurdle to overcome would be the relationship between Hopkins and Bill O’Brien. The Patriots offensive coordinator was head coach of the Houston Texans when Hopkins was traded to the Arizona Cardinals. He made some disparaging remarks about Hopkins, which could lead to a bumpy reunion after a messy divorce in 2020.
Alas, that seems to be water under the bridge. There is reportedly no animosity between Hopkins and O’Brien, which certainly improves the team’s chances of signing the star wide receiver to a deal during his visit.
