NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky believes the New England Patriots should not let DeAndre Hopkins leave his visits on Wednesday and Thursday without a contract.
Hopkins would be another upgrade to a Patriots wide receiver room that improved over the course of the offseason. JuJu Smith-Schuster was one of the bigger names to be added to the roster positionally, while New England also added rookies Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas through the draft.
But the team still needs a top receiving weapon.
Hopkins could be that player. He recorded 64 catches for 717 yards and three touchdowns in only nine games with the Arizona Cardinals last season. New England still has work to do at the wide receiver position, and Orlovsky believes adding Hopkins is a necessity for the team, if they’re looking to take the next step.
“This is an enormous year for the New England Patriots as an organization. It is an enormous year for their third-year quarterback Mac Jones,” Orlovsky said, via NESN’s Sean T. McGuire. “This is a bottom three skill-position roster in the AFC given what Tennessee and maybe (Indianapolis) and/or Houston is.
“DeAndre Hopkins can still play. He would be by far their best skill-position player. This is a no-brainer. Once he gets into your building, you can not let him leave your building. If you want to actually get a real judgment on who or what Mac Jones is right now, and for his future as your quarterback, they need to make sure DeAndre Hopkins is on their team this season.”
The Patriots would certainly benefit from a receiver like Hopkins in the wide receiver room. One has to wonder what news will come out of the Wednesday and Thursday visits.
An explosive offensive weapon like Hopkins could change things for the better in New England.
