NFL free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins turned heads this weekend when he chose to sign with the Tennessee Titans over the New England Patriots.
Despite being linked to several other teams, the Patriots and the Titans were the only two franchises that Hopkins visited during his free agency tour.
And while it might appear that Hopkins signing with the Titans is a major loss for the Patriots, people inside the organization reportedly feel differently.
DeAndre Hopkins chooses the Titans over the Patriots. That’s too bad,” wrote MassLive.com reporter MA\ark Daniels on Twitter. “But I know people inside Gillette Stadium feel good about their offensive unit and personnel. The belief is they’ll be improved.
“Patriots will see Hopkins this summer when they have joint practices with Titans.”
The Patriots will enter training camp with a receiving corps of Kendrick Bourne, DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thorton.
Chris Mason of MassLive.com, however, noted in his preview that “This group would have looked a whole lot stronger with De Andre Hopkins … Instead, the Patriots rely heavily on two tight end sets and split [running back Ty] Montgomery out wide when they need an extra pass-catcher.”
Only time will tell how the Patriots organization’s belief that the receiving corps will be fine without the services of Hopkins plays out.
