Free-agent huge receiver DeAndre Hopkins is anticipated to signal with the Tennessee Titans, in line with AtoZ Sports’ Doug Kyed.
Hopkins’ solely recognized suitors have been the Patriots and Titans. Both groups hosted him on a free-agent go to in June after his launch from Arizona in late May. According to ESPN, Tennessee made a “more aggressive” contract supply.
Per the NFL Network, Hopkins has agreed to a 2-year, $26 million deal price as much as $32 million with incentives.
In 9 video games final season, Hopkins caught 64 passes for 717 yards and three touchdowns. He has 4 1,000-yard seasons over the previous six years. Hopkins, 31, began his profession in Houston from 2013-19, together with a six-year stretch beneath present Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. Hopkins spent his final three seasons with the Cardinals, who’re at the moment present process a regime change.
Over his profession, he’s made 5 Pro Bowls and three All-Pro groups.
During his New England go to, Hopkins posted an image of himself and Patriots outdoors linebacker Matt Judon from the crew’s locker room to Instagram. He added the phrases “La Familia,” as a nod to their friendship. Two days earlier throughout minicamp, Judon opted to keep away from the Hopkins dialog whereas different teammates endorsed the thought of signing him.
“DeAndre Hopkins is a free agent. If I know him as a friend or as a confidant it doesn’t matter,” Judon mentioned. “He’s a great player. He did amazing things and wherever he lands, he lands. If it’s here, it’s here. Then we can talk about him.”
Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was a kind of gamers who accredited of including Hopkins, saying the crew would “love to have him.”
“I think DeAndre is a great player. You watch his film from college all the way through the NFL, he’s done a great job. So obviously we’d love to have him, but we do have a great group of guys,” Jones mentioned at the beginning of minicamp. “I’ve been actually happy with the playmakers we’ve got on the crew; we’ve come out right here and actually purchased into the system.
“We have a good group and I feel like we need to keep growing together and whoever is in that room, we’re going to try to dominate together.”
In May, Pats coach Bill Belichick confirmed the crew had curiosity in Hopkins however declined to supply specifics.
Without Hopkins, the crew’s greatest huge receivers are JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne and Tyquan Thornton. The Patriots additionally drafted sixth-round rookies Demario Douglas and Kayshone Boutte. In free company, the Pats opted to signal Smith-Schuster over final season’s main goal, Jakobi Meyers, who left for a team-friendly take care of the Raiders.
Smith-Schuster didn’t take part in any OTA or minicamp practices resulting from a lingering harm from final season’s playoff run with Kansas City. Thornton was additionally held out of a number of practices over harm issues. In their place, the Patriots’ high offensive unit fielded tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki — one other free-agent signing — for nearly each snap.
According to sources, Gesicki is anticipated to perform as an enormous slot receiver in O’Brien’s system, which might create notable positional overlap with Smith-Schuster. There is powerful inside perception the offense will take important strides beneath O’Brien, who successfully changed former offensive assistants Matt Patricia and Joe Judge when he was employed because the crew’s new offensive coordinator.
The Patriots will maintain their first coaching camp follow on Wednesday, July 26.
Source: www.bostonherald.com