Patriots Price: Can New England Afford Cardinals' DeAndre Hopkins?
If the New England Patriots are serious about acquiring a No. 1 receiver this offseason, their casual browsing can now turn into serious shopping. That's because the Arizona Cardinals have named their price for trading for DeAndre Hopkins:
A second-round pick, plus a conditional pick or player.
For a team desperate for an elite target and for a player that Bill Belichick openly covets, that seems like a bargain. So what is New England waiting for? Mostly, because the Cardinals want to wait until next week's free agency starts before dealing their five-time Pro Bowl star.
But Hopkins-to-the-Pats has long felt like a comfortable fit.
He and Belichick exchanged admiration during New England's visit to Arizona in Week 14. Hopkins has familiarity with new offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien from their time together with the Houston Texans. And New Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort spent 15 seasons over two stints in Foxboro.
Most importantly, however, is the Pats' desperation for a top receiver in an AFC East that already sports Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle (Miami Dolphins), Stefon Diggs (Buffalo Bills) and Garrett Wilson (New York Jets) and could conceivably soon be adding quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers (Jets) and Tom Brady (Dolphins?). Plus, New England's leading receiver from 2022 - Jakobi Meyers - is set to hit free agency next week.
Hopkins, 30, has four 100-catch seasons in his career. Meyers led the Pats last season with 67.
Hopkins in Foxboro has long made sense. Arizona's modes price tag for a trade will do nothing to change that.
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