Dan Graziano reveals latest on DeAndre Hopkins free agency

The race to land free agent DeAndre Hopkins is on as the former Cardinals wideout heads to New England this week to see the Patriots. Hopkins completed a visit with the Tennessee Titans over the weekend and according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, he’s likely to arrive in Foxborough on Wednesday.

“Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins a free agent, released by Arizona, was visiting the Tennessee Titans earlier this week and he expected to visit the New England Patriots at some point in the middle of this week,” Graziano said on Get Up.

“I have been told that visit is likely to be tomorrow. I don’t know for a fact that it’s 100% finalized. Like Bill Belichick, I am not a travel agent. But my understanding is he’s expected to be in the building in New England this week, likely tomorrow, to talk to the Patriots about possibly joining them.”

Prior to his visit to New England, an online campaign to get Hopkins’ attention gained steam. After one Twitter user posted a screenshot of a direct message he sent to Hopkins offering the former Texans star $500 to the charity of his choice if he would sign with the Patriots, several Patriots players jumped on board with the effort.

Patriots edge rusher Matthew Judon replied to the initial tweet saying he’d match the $500 donation.

Former star running back and three-time Super Bowl champion LeGarrette Blount responded, ‘I’ll match that as well,” tagging Judon and Hopkins.

Despite the online recruiting, Judon told reporters on Tuesday that he doesn’t run his own Twitter account.

“You’ve seen all you’re going to get,” Judon said, via the Boston Globe. “I don’t run my Twitter, so I don’t know who be tweeting most of the time. That’s what I got for you all.”

Titans, Patriots players active in Hopkins recruitment

Although reports have also linked several other teams to the free agent, the Patriots and Titans appear to be in the lead.

Former Titans first-round draft pick Jeffrey Simmons reached out to Hopkins via DM to encourage him to join Tennessee.

“It’s crazy because I didn’t know until today, of course, I already sent the DM, like, ‘Come on with it, you already know what’s up,’” Simmons said on NFL Today. “I know the type of player he is, getting ready to play against him, watching the film, ‘DeAndre Hopkins, DeAndre Hopkins, that’s the guy we gotta stop.’ Everyone has a loot of respect for DeAndre Hopkins, he’s been around the game for a long time.

“His play-making ability, his leadership, the type of teammate he is, that’s why everybody wants him on their team. We’d love to have him on our team, not to rebuild, but to help us win this year.”

Hopkins has the advantage of familiarity with key members of both teams. Titans head coach Mike Vrabel was an assistant in Houston early on in Hopkins’ NFL career when he played for the Texans. Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien was his head coach in Houston for several seasons as well – some of his most productive seasons, too.

Despite his age, at 31 years old, Hopkins is still capable of producing at a WR1 level. He had 64 receptions for 717 yards and three touchdowns in 2022. However, he will benefit from a strong supporting cast. Neither Mac Jones or Ryan Tannehill are considered among the NFL’s elite going into the season but both could use his veteran presence.