NFL Insiders: 'Serious' Patriots Make Contract Offer to DeAndre Hopkins

According to ESPN NFL insiders Dan Graziano and Dianna Russini, DeAndre Hopkins is mulling over a contract offer from the New England Patriots.

Interest plus visit equals ... offer?

We've written for months about the mutual interest between the New England Patriots and free-agent receiver DeAndre Hopkins. According to two ESPN NFL insiders, that interest has materialized into a legitimate contract offer.

Hopkins has made two visits - to the Pats and Tennessee Titans - and is apparently mulling deals from both teams.

"DeAndre Hopkins has contract offers from the Patriots and the Titans," Dan Graziano said on Friday's episode of Get Up. "He'd like to have something in place before training camps start."

Added reporter Diana Russini earlier this week, "I was told by sources close to the situation that Hopkins is going over the offers from both of those teams, the Titans and the Patriots."

Already having made an initial offer to Hopkins, might the Pats be angling to sweeten the deal via this week's contract extensions. New England awarded new contracts to receiver DeVante Parker and defensive team captain Ja'Whaun Bentley, potentially making room to add the five-time Pro Bowl receiver to the arsenal of weapons for third-year quarterback Mac Jones.

"Those are moves to clear up cap space," Graziano said, "especially when they're done this time of year. It may well be that that cap space is intended for DeAndre Hopkins. They are serious about him."

Hopkins could still, of course, consider another "lurking" team as training camps approach in three weeks. But with a reported offer in hand on top of all the logical dots that can be connected, there's no reason not to still consider the Patriots as the front-runners in the DeAndre Derby.

---

Follow Richie Whitt on Twitter

Follow Patriots Country on Twitter and Facebook

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Patriots? Click Here

More Patriots coverage from Sports Illustrated here.