What does DeVante Parker's new contract mean for DeAndre Hopkins and the Patriots?

In a move that came as a bit of a surprise on Wednesday, the Patriots reportedly signed receiver DeVante Parker to a three-year contract extension worth up to $33 million with $14 million in guarantees.

Because most fans have been eagerly awaiting the news drop that DeAndre Hopkins was signing with New England, hearing that Parker received an extension was not exactly what they hoped to hear this week.

Although extending a player like Parker is a good move, it started to call into question the likelihood of Hopkins signing with the team.

Parker's new contract creates more cap space, which is always a plus, but the Patriots didn't need to do that to sign Hopkins, meaning that was not the motivating factor in getting this deal done.

So because the news began to cause a bit of commotion online, NFL insider Ian Rapoport took the time to clarify what Parker's new contract meant in regards to a potential signing of Hopkins, stating, "Parker's new contract will not dampen any optimism of bringing in Hopkins, who's not expected to sign with a club until just before training camps kick off in late July." via NFL.com.

In an effort to further calm down the New England region, NBC Sports Boston's Phil Perry also set the record straight, sharing that according to his Patriots sources, Parker's contract does not rule out a potential Hopkins signing in the future.

It has been well-documented since becoming a free agent that Hopkins would probably not sign with a new team until training camp begins, which is still a handful of weeks away.

There is still plenty of time for the Patriots to get a deal done if that's the direction they want to go in and secure Hopkins for the 2023 season and beyond. But it would be nice to get an answer sooner rather than later.