DeAndre Hopkins’ brief run with the Patriots is already over.
Mike Vrabel said Thursday that the veteran receiver’s time around the team has ended, just days after Hopkins showed up to get a closer look at how New England operates behind the scenes. Vrabel called the stint worthwhile, saying, “It was a great experience,” and adding, “Hop’s not here, but it was a great experience for, I think, all of us.”
Hopkins spent last week with the Patriots in what was always meant to be a short visit. The 34-year-old was there for all four training camp practices before Wednesday’s off-day, working with the wide receiver group and helping position coach Todd Downing while also observing the team’s coaching and scouting work.
“That’s what we’re trying to do when we have some of these unique situations where a player or former player, whatever it may be, wants to come in and help and learn and they love football,” Vrabel said. “So, I think it was good for everybody.”
What comes next for Hopkins is still unclear. It’s not known whether he’ll return to the Patriots in any role, and it’s also not known if he plans to keep playing. He has been a free agent since his contract with the Ravens expired in March, and he has not officially announced his retirement.
Hopkins entered the league as a first-round pick by the Texans in 2013 and has built a long résumé across Houston, Arizona, Tennessee, Kansas City and Baltimore. In 204 regular-season and playoff games, he has 1,046 catches, 13,770 receiving yards and 87 touchdowns.
In Other News...
DeAndre Hopkins Just Created A New Patriots Question At Camp
DeAndre Hopkins brief stop in Foxborough gave the Patriots a little extra star power during training camp, with the veteran receiver spending a few days around the wideout room to observe and help out. It was an unusual arrangement, but one that fit the tone of camp: a chance for younger receivers to pick up a few things from a player who has spent years at the top of the position.
Mike Vrabel said Hopkins time with the team has now ended as planned, closing the book on a short stay that was always meant to be temporary. The move still leaves an interesting question hanging over New England, though, because Hopkins presence was enough to make people wonder whether this was just a one-off visit or the start of something more down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Camp Just Exposed One Roster Battle Fans Feared Most
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Kayshon Boutte has also turned early opportunities into a real roster argument, which matters on a depth chart that suddenly has more competition than it did a month ago. Camp is still young, but the next few padded sessions should tell a lot about who can separate from the pack and who is simply keeping pace. For a team trying to sort out its passing game and stabilize the pieces around Maye, those evaluations carry more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Vrabel Just Raised A Bigger Patriots WR Question As Boutte Surges
Training camp is usually where a team learns whether its receiver room is deep enough to survive the season, and Mike Vrabel made clear that New England is still sorting through that question. He pointed to the value of competition at the position and left open the idea that the Patriots could improve the group in a few different ways, whether through added draft capital, bringing in a player or simply sticking with what is already there.
Kayshon Boutte has helped make that conversation more interesting. Vrabel praised the third-year receiver for a strong offseason, a good start to camp and the professional way he has handled his role, noting how much he has already meant to the team's success. With Boutte in a contract year and trying to keep building on that momentum, the bigger issue for New England is whether his rise is enough to settle the depth chart or only sharpens the need to keep looking. [Read more 🡒]