Why Are Patriots 'Wary' of DeAndre Hopkins Signing?

DeAndre Hopkins would provide an undisputed jolt to the New England Patriots' offense, but the team has intriguing reasons as to why they might not acquire his services.

Alert Allen Iverson, because the New England Patriots want to talk about practice. That's reportedly what concerns them about signing free-agent receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

According to Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston, a "culture fit" might be the hang-up when it comes to officially putting up an offer for his lauded services. 

"What I hear is, I think people in the building are still wary, to an extent, of the culture fit,” NBC Sports reporter Tom E. Curran said on WEEI’s Jones and Mego program this week. “How much does he want to practice? What kind of hoops are the Patriots themselves going to have to jump through to accommodate the way he likes to approach the game?”

Hopkins turned 31 earlier this month and has struggled with injuries over the past couple of seasons, appearing in just 19 games combined. That could affect his weekly workload ... in a place where preparation and full dedication to the craft is viewed as true canon.

Curran, however, notes that the Patriots might not have a choice in the matter: even with the arrival of targets like Mike Gesicki and JuJu Smith-Schuster, there are little, if any, expectations about the Patriots' aerial affairs, which Curran indirectly hints gives Hopkins any and all leverage.

"If you watched OTAs this week or the minicamps, you could blatantly see that the optimism that I had about the on-paper potential is pretty much dashed by watching what they put on the field," he said.

New England's offensive shortcomings and Hopkins' playmaking abilities seem to make their union a match made in gridiron Heaven, though the practice issue is the latest con for Hopkins to consider. Observers have already talked about the potential awkwardness of Hopkins reuniting with new offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, who ended his Houston career as the Texans' general manager. Hopkins' reported interest in an Odell Beckham Jr.-style deal ($15 million for one season in Baltimore) could also end his Foxborough career before it truly begins.

Still, Curran mentioned that Hopkins posting images of his New England visit was a "positive development" and that both sides are capable of compromising.

“I just don’t think it’ll be a hard sell in which (the Patriots) are saying, ‘You’re our missing piece,'" he said. "I do think that they’ll say, ‘Look, you’re a piece that’s going to make everybody better here.’ 

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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