A legendary receiver may potentially be in the building with the New England Patriots, albeit in a different role. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel indicated that DeAndre Hopkins is with the Patriots exploring a possible role in coaching or player personnel. This was reported by Patriots.com’s Evan Lazar on Friday afternoon.
Hopkins had 22 catches for 330 yards and two touchdowns last season. He played in the NFL for 13 seasons and recorded 1,006 receptions for 13,295 receiving yards and 85 touchdowns. The playmaker played in 195 regular-season games and ranks among the top 20 players in NFL history for both all-time receptions and all-time receiving yards.
Now, he could be looking to bring some of that expertise to the Patriots.
Potential Patriots Assistant Had Legendary Career
The Clemson product immediately burst onto the scene in 2013. He had a productive rookie season recorded 52 receptions for 802 yards and two touchdowns. He recorded his first 1,000-yard season in 2014 and never looked back. Over the course of his career, he was a five-time Prow Bowl selection, a three-time first-team All-Pro and a two-time second-team All-Pro. The playmaker also led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 2017.
Patriots Have Loaded WR Room
The Patriots’ wide receiving group is revamped and ready to go. A. J. Brown was the biggest acquisition for the Philadelphia Eagles. However, they also have others such as wide receiver Romeo Doubs. The wide receiver was signed in free agency from the Green Bay Packers. Now, this group has a chance to make some noise.
Letâs not forget about Kayshon Boutte either. Boutte went from potential trade bait for A. J. Brown to back with this Patriots receiver room. He showed that he could be a valuable complementary option. The wide receiver recorded 33 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns last season. He was able to get into a groove and show what he could do on a larger scale.
There are also some emerging candidates at the receiver position. One of them is Kyle Williams. He had 10 catches for 200 yards and three touchdowns. He did not record a ton of statistics. However, he was able to show his playmaking ability in a major way last season. Williams will be looking to have a successful second season in this training camp could prove to be extremely important for him.
At the very least, they could potentially have a tutor in Hopkins. In his prime, he was one of the most dynamic receivers in the NFL. He was a game changer and a superstar. There is also some history with Vrabel there, dating back to 2022 when both were with the Tennessee Titans. The combination of skill set and familiarity could work in the Patriots’ favor.
It will be interesting to see what happens here, as the Patriots look to gear up for another shot at defending their AFC championship. Itâs not going to be easy, but they have several pieces in place that can help them make that happen. Hopkins could be another one of those pieces albeit on the sideline.
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