DeAndre Hopkins will end his free-agent sweepstakes by joining the Tennessee Titans.
The Titans are expected to sign the star wide receiver to a two-year, $26 million deal worth up to $32 million in incentives. Hopkins can make as much as $15 million this season.
Hopkins picked Tennessee instead of the New England Patriots, who also made the five-time Pro Bowler an offer. When discussing his decision on NBC Sports Boston, Albert Breer said money was Hopkins’ primary motivator.
Breer claimed New England matched Tennesse’s $15 million salary for 2023, but with more money locked behind incentives.
“They were willing to give the max that the Titans offered, but they were going to make it much harder for him to get there,” Breer said.
#Patriots incentives in offer to DeAndre Hopkins did not match Titans.
More on this from @AlbertBreer, @_AndrewCallahan, and Felgerhttps://t.co/TlGwi5EpAU
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) July 17, 2023
According to Breer, Hopkins may have circled back to the Kansas City Chiefs or another contender if no team met his contract demands. Meanwhile, he claimed the Patriots “haven’t adjusted to the new reality” and properly constructed a contender around Mac Jones.
“They still build the offense like Tom Brady’s the trigger man, like you don’t need a great No. 1 [receiver], and they still build the roster as if it’s 2009,” Breer said.
Hopkins could have provided Jones with a much-needed top target. Instead, the wideout will continue his career in Tennessee while New England attempts to repair last season’s 26th-ranked offense without a significant upgrade.