As always seems to be the case when it comes to the New England Patriots’ pursuit of high-value free agents, the team came up short in their chase of DeAndre Hopkins due to a subpar contract offer.
While many of the top players that entered the 2023 NFL free agency are off the board, this summer has seen two Pro-Bowl-level players enter the market late. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and running back Dalvin Cook are currently up for grabs and can be major impact players for whatever team they sign with.
Unsurprisingly, both have received a notable amount of interest from around the league. With the New England Patriots still having a need for veteran difference makers on offense, the organization brought the five-time Pro Bowler in for a visit last month, and all indications made it seem like they were serious contenders to land his services.
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New England Patriots were never close to signing DeAndre Hopkins
However, weeks passed and the former Arizona Cardinals star seemed no closer to choosing his team for next season. Then over the weekend, it was revealed that the Tennessee Titans of all teams were able to sign the three-time All-Pro to a two-year contract worth $26 million. While the contract wasn’t at a bargain rate, it was still a massive pay cut for a receiver that averaged nearly $27 million a season in his previous contract (via Spotrac).
The signing made many New England Patriots fans wonder how close their team was to adding Hopkins and if they were ever really serious contenders. Well, it seems like the organization was never really that close despite a productive meeting in June.
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On Sunday, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reported that “their base financial package wasn’t in the same ballpark as what Titans offered,” and the fact that “The good vibes between N.E. and Hopkins from his team visit never translated to a workable deal.”
Patriots fans are used to this sort of result when it comes to the franchise’s interest in free agents with notable value, as they have always been an organization that is very careful without they use their money. Preferring to often take flyers on veterans with damaged reputations over splashy signings on the open market.