Patriots Final Offseason Priority: Sign DeAndre Hopkins?

The New England Patriots are still in the market for another receiver, which is why they are pursuing DeAndre Hopkins.

Aside from the Boston Celtics' trade of Marcus Smart for Kristaps Porzingis, the New England Patriots' pursuit of DeAndre Hopkins is the talk of the town in Foxboro.

Being one of the two teams to have hosted the free-agent receiver on a visit makes it seem like the Patriots have good odds of landing him. Yet there is also talk of Hopkins wanting to wait until closer to training camp. 

This proposed waiting time isn't coming from the Patriots' side of things; rather, it is likely from Hopkins' camp, as he wants to see if others will become interested.

With just a month until training camp starts for the Patriots, as players and coaches get a relatively short "summer break" before the grind of football season commences, the front office and personnel department still have work they can do. Signing Hopkins looks like it is on the to-do list for the Patriots, which means they agree with ESPN.

"Coach Bill Belichick's affinity for Hopkins is no secret, and Hopkins reached his greatest heights as a player under offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien during their tenure together in Houston," ESPN writes. "With news that Hopkins and O'Brien have mended their previously frosty relationship, the match is simply too good to ignore. The Patriots have the financial flexibility to make Hopkins a legitimate offer."

Comparing the Patriots to the Tennessee Titans - the only other team to have hosted Hopkins for a visit - New England is the front-runner if a deal comes down to money. New England is projected to have around $14 million in cap room compared to Tennessee's $8 million.

Signing Hopkins would be a big deal for the Patriots as they'd finally land a true No. 1 receiver, something they haven't had in years. New England has already added JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki to the mix as pass-catchers this offseason, and the addition of Hopkins could only make them more dangerous. 

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