Patriots Pipedream Poof: Lamar Jackson Contract Extension; DeAndre Hopkins Trade?

The New England Patriots won't get Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, and maybe not Arizona Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins, either.

The New England Patriots have been silent in the lead-up to the NFL Draft. The Patriots won't pick until No. 14 overall. In that downtime, other teams are making moves. 

Any talk of the Patriots trading for Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is over, as he agreed to an extension on Thursday. 

At the same time, the pipe-dream of trading for star Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is also potentially fading. A report from Mike Florio early Thursday evening revealed that the Tennessee Titans were looking to exchange the No. 11 pick and more for the No. 3 pick and Hopkins. 

But, the Texans finalized a deal first with Arizona, sending No. 12, 33, and their 2024 first and third-rounders to take No. 3 and No. 105 from the Cardinals. Which the Texans turned that pick into Will Anderson, leaving a move to the Titans for Hopkins in question.

The prior connection between Patriots' offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien and Hopkins sparked hope that New England would move for the star wide-out. Yet, the asking price of a first-round pick never garnered interest from the Patriots. After signing JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki in free agency, the Patriots seem content to stand pat with their draft capital. 

As for Jackson, rumored interest in the former Heisman-winning quarterback spread following Patriots owner Robert Kraft telling media during the NFL Owners' Meeting, he'd leave it up to head coach Bill Belichick as to whether they’d make an offer. 

That comment from Kraft came amid rumors of continued anger from Belichick towards current quarterback Mac Jones.

While Jackson's extension doesn't mean Jones's job is safe, as he will still have to compete to keep the job, as Belichick said in Arizona. But the former first-round pick still holds the support of the locker room as he starts with a clean slate under O'Brien. 

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