The Tennessee Titans were clearly more serious than everyone else, including the New England Patriots, about signing five-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins to a deal.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, it was a two-year, $26 million deal worth upwards of $3 million in incentives for each year. The incentives are determined in catches, yards and touchdowns.
It’s a deal the Patriots were in a position to facilitate if they wanted to go in that direction, but coach Bill Belichick and company are clearly comfortable with what they already have on their roster. They didn’t value Hopkins as much as the Titans, despite swirling questions regarding their current receiving corps.
On DeAndre Hopkins’ 2-year, $26M deal with the #Titans, there are $3M available in incentives each year. If he reaches 95 catches, 1,050 yards and 10 TDs, he gets all of it. Here is the full breakdown: https://t.co/WzOTxVEyxB pic.twitter.com/6mnmqCwMhG
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 16, 2023
If the Patriots’ receivers struggle in 2023, this could be a topic of conversation that is revisited throughout the season. New England had an opportunity to land an elite playmaker on the outside and folded to the Titans.