There’s still no sign the Patriots are on the brink of acquiring DeAndre Hopkins, despite endorsements from Rob Gronkowski and a couple of New England players. Mike Lombardi’s comments on his recent podcast could indicate why.
On the latest edition of his “GM Shuffle,” Lombardi, who worked with Belichick in Cleveland and Foxborough, minimized Hopkins’ trade value. “I think his market is really soft. I don’t think anybody wants to get into the Hopkins business, and then have to redo his contract,” said Lombardi. “From what I’m told, it’s soft. There’s not a lot of action out there on him. He’s a good player, he’s always covered, but he always comes up with the football. But there’s other things that go into this, that I’m not at liberty to discuss that’s probably holding it all back.”
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That would explain why the Cardinals haven’t dealt Hopkins yet. He’s one of the most productive receivers in the game, with six 1,000-yard seasons and three-time First-Team All Pro honors on his resume. Arizona may be holding out for a better package than what’s ultimately available.
As Lombardi mentioned, taking on Hopkins would be an expensive proposition for any team. He’s slated to earn base salaries of $19.5 million in 2023 and $14.9 million in 2024, and any club that acquires him would probably like to bring those figures down. On the downside, Hopkins is 30 years old, and hasn’t played a full season since 2020 (he missed the first six games last season due to a PED suspension).
So what does this mean for the Patriots? Lombardi is a longtime Belichick confidante, and has a history of echoing his apparent player evaluations. With that in mind, it’s strange that Lombardi would say he’s “not at liberty” to discuss other facets of Hopkins’ situation. That indicates there are some pieces of information, or a relationship, that Lombardi wants to protect.
It was reported last week the Patriots would only be interested in Hopkins if the Cardinals are going to “give him away and he’s willing to play on a reduced contract" -- despite Belichick's longstanding bromance with the player.
Lombardi’s comments are setting the stage for that to happen. The Texans only received a 2023 fifth-round pick and 2024 sixth-round pick for Brandin Cooks’ services, and Lombardi is insinuating that Hopkins could be acquired for even less.
Sounds like exactly the kind of deal that Belichick is looking for.