Among the needs the New England Patriots have to address this offseason is wide receiver. Will embattled Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins be one of their targets?
According to SI’s Albert Breer via Dov Kleiman, “several NFL teams” have sought permission from the Cardinals to speak with Hopkins. But the Patriots were not one of them.
Hopkins was limited to just nine games this past season due to a suspension. But he still managed to finish with 64 receptions for 717 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers would have ranked among the best on the Patriots this past season.
The Patriots already made a decent splash in signing JuJu Smith-Schuster to a three-year deal. But it appears he won’t be getting a veteran partner to join him.
Update: Several NFL teams have sought permission from the #Cardinals to speak with DeAndre Hopkins and his camp.
The #Patriots aren’t among them, per @AlbertBreer pic.twitter.com/8RJzywizwx
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 30, 2023
This past year the New England Patriots only narrowly missed the playoffs but for the second time in three years. The common denominator in both of their missed playoff years has been an offense that ranks in the bottom half of the league.
Defensively, the Patriots are fine. They’ve been stout for the better part of 20 years and will probably continue to be so for as long as Bill Belichick runs the show.
It’s the offense that causes their playoff odds to truly ebb and flow.
Defensive may win championships, but offense still wins games.
Will the Patriots make any more big additions on offense this year?