If Hopkins trade doesn’t happen, should Patriots fans panic?
By Lucas Gales
Before we go further, I want to say; I love DeAndre Hopkins. He’s an incredible player and would provide 3rd-year Quarterback Mac Jones a true WR1 option. That said, losing out on Hopkins wouldn’t be the end of the world.
Bill O’Brien was hired by Bill Belichick to do one thing.
Repair the train wreck of an offense that was 2022. I don’t need to go through every cringe-worthy moment from the season to remind everybody what happened. We all know last season’s offense was a disaster we would all like to forget.
O’Brien and Hopkins have a complicated past that will influence any potential deal. After a 2019 season filled with rumors of beef between the two men. O’Brien traded Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals for David Johnson and a 4th-round pick. The move is considered one of the worst trades in NFL history.
There is a sense around the league that there is still bad blood between the two. If you’re Bill Belichick, do you want to add more tension to an offense pushed to the edge last season? On paper, the Patriots should have pulled the trigger on a Hopkins deal yesterday, but there are more factors at play than just his talent.
So let’s say the Patriots don’t trade for Hopkins; what should they do?
Use the draft!!
The Patriots hold the 14th overall pick this April. They have been linked to a few standout WRs, Zay Flowers of Boston College and Jaxon Smith Njigba of Ohio State. Patriots staff has been seen at pro days for both players, and rumors have been around for months that they like Flowers.
Bill Belichick doesn’t have the best track record when evaluating WRs; cough cough…Nkeal Harry, but this year feels different from previous whiffs. Both players are top targets for most teams around the league. This might seem bad, but this means the Patriots aren’t reaching.
Zay Flowers is a speed demon many see as the next great slot receiver in the NFL. The Patriots have a long history of great slot guys, Troy Brown, Wes Welker, and Julian Edelman. Njigba is taller than Flowers at six foot one and has an NFL comp of Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp.
I understand fan frustrations with both Hopkins and other moves. Not trading for Hopkins feels wrong. That being said, If they don’t do it, this draft is an excellent chance to pick a bonified WR1.
As Pats fans, we always want a splash move. In all likelihood that splash move has already happened, by getting a real OC back in Foxboro, and we shouldn’t take that for granted.
It is not time to panic yet. The draft is the more important off-season measure.
As for Bill, please go Inside the box for once. Your classic pick of an OL or do-everything linebacker from one of the nation’s military academies will still be there on days two and three, but top-tier WR prospects won’t be. Make the right choice for my sanity.