How DeAndre Hopkins Trade Could End Up Benefitting Patriots

How the trading of an All-Pro receiver and the franchise tagging of another could help the Patriots capitalize on this year's historic wide receiver draft class.

A trade between the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals sent shockwaves throughout the NFL within the first few hours of the legal tampering window being open on Monday. The Texans traded away All-Pro wideout Deandre Hopkins and a fourth-round pick to the Cardinals in exchange for running back David Johnson, a second-round pick and a 2021 fourth-round pick. 

It seems unreal to think that Hopkins went to another team without a first-round pick involved. Whether or not you agree with the trade is one thing, but that trade undoubtedly made things more interesting for the New England Patriots over the next couple months. With the Cardinals acquiring Hopkins and not needing to give up their first round pick, a ripple effect could end up helping the Patriots acquire a potential star receiver through the draft. 

Do we have your attention yet? 

The logic being this scenario is that Arizona was almost certainly going to use their eighth overall draft selection in the 2020 NFL Draft on a wide receiver. Whether that be Jerry Jeudy or Ceedee Lamb - who were both not profiled in the PatriotMaven profile series because they were thought to be out of reach for New England - along with Henry Ruggs III. Those three were firmly in the discussion to be the Cardinals' first round pick. 

Now, one less team will be in the market for a receiver in the draft. That means those three receivers - who previously seemed out of reach for New England - could potentially come into play. This isn't to say one of those receivers could just fall into the Patriots' lap at the 23rd overall selection. The likelihood of that happening is low. However, it makes it easier to trade up a few spots to get one of them. Which, funny enough, New England has a great trade piece in their pocket in guard Joe Thuney, who was franchise tagged Monday. 

Could the Patriots use their left guard to work their way into a higher pick? It's certainly a possibility. 

Along with Thuney to offer in a trade, the Patriots were awarded four compensatory picks last week and have a ton of draft picks that could propel them up a few spots in the order. While it is still very early in free agency, which technically hasn't even started yet, the tampering period has already opened up a potential opportunity for the six-time Super Bowl champions to capitalize on this year's historic wide receiver draft class. The question that remains is whether they will actually pounce on that opportunity.