The New England Patriots only pass two of the three requirements that DeAndre Hopkins wants from his next NFL team following his release by the Arizona Cardinals.
On Friday, the Cardinals sensationally announced the release of Hopkins after the NFC West franchise were unable to find a trade partner. He was linked with a move away from Arizona for much of the offseason after engaging in a number of interviews in which he expressed an interest in joining a Super Bowl contender.
Hopkins starred for the Cardinals after joining the team from the Houston Texans via trade ahead of the 2020 season. The five-time Pro Bowler collected 64 receptions for 717 yards and three touchdowns last season after he was suspended for the first six games following a positive test for an illegal performance-enhancing substance. He also missed Arizona's final two contests because of a knee issue as the Cardinals missed the playoffs with a paltry 4-13 record.
Hopkins never publicly declared he wanted to leave the Cardinals, but he held a number of interviews where he willingly spoke about other teams as well as quarterbacks who he could play with. Earlier this week, Hopkins was asked what he was looking for in a team.
“What I want is stable management upstairs, that's something I haven't really had the past couple years of my career coming from Houston and then to Arizona,” the receiver said. “A QB who loves the game, a QB who brings everybody on board with him, not just himself but everybody around him... and a great defence.
“A great defence wins championships.”
The Patriots can feel somewhat heartened by Hopkins’ desires. The franchise have stability, with owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick working together for 23 seasons as two pillars of the Pats dynasty that delivered six Super Bowl titles.
New England’s defence is also consistently dominant. Despite missing the playoffs last season, the Pats finished the season ranked eighth defensively in yards and 11th in points while the team tallied the second-most total takeaways in the NFL (30) and scored more non-offensive touchdowns than any other team.
However, Hopkins may be unsettled by the prospect of joining the Pats while Mac Jones is the quarterback. Jones enjoyed an impressive rookie season in 2021 when he finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He was named to the Pro Bowl after leading the Patriots to the playoffs for the first time since Tom Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he struggled to get to grips with the offence in 2022.
The Patriots struggled on offence in 2022 as they finished 32nd in red zone efficiency, and it led to Belichick refusing to name Jones as the starter ahead of the 2023 season. Bailey Zappe is waiting in the wings and his performances reportedly divided the locker room between the two, which hardly sounds like what Hopkins wants - a quarterback who loves the game and brings everyone on board with him.
The NFL franchise that lands Hopkins will boost their Super Bowl chances given the receiver’s remarkable talent. Despite their urgent need for receiver help, this team is unlikely to be the Pats when the likes of the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs could be in the mix.
