Charity Case: Patriots' Matt Judon 'Recruiting' DeAndre Hopkins With Cash?
Matt Judon certainly hopes that money indeed talks.
The New England Patriots' star pass rusher went back on the recruiting trail this weekend, joining a fan in minimalist bribery to land the services of All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
On Twitter, Patriots fan Mike Brimecombe called upon Judon's help to lure Hopkins to a contract, showing him an unheeded direct message that promised $500 to the charity of the receiver's choosing upon his New England arrival. Judon efficiently responded "I'll match" in perhaps the most wholesome form of late free-agent tampering.
While the response of Judon, well-known for trying to attract free agent talents to New England, is rather muted, it should be noted that his charitable donation is not the first time that Hopkins' name has appeared on his timeline. He previously took on the hypothetical role of general manager in March by making an offseason to-do list that featured not only prayers via GIF from Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell's eponymous character from "Talladega Night: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby) but also a move for Hopkins.
Bobby and Judon's prayer also begged to acquire fellow receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and defender Darius Slay (who respectively signed with Baltimore and returned to Philadelphia).
Time will tell if Judon's latest ploy works, but the Patriots perhaps could use all the help they could get.
While New England holds a slight financial edge, as their top-ranked 2024 cap space could allow them to give Hopkins a long-term in the Beckham range he's reportedly seeking, many have pointed out the messy end to the Hopkins-Bill O'Brien union in Houston that partially put him on this transactional odyssey in the first place. O'Brien, previously the head coach and general manager of Hopkins' original employers in Houston, is returning to New England as the team's offensive coordinator this season.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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