Patriots Favored to Trade for DeAndre Hopkins: Odds; Bill O'Brien Effect?
FOXBORO -- Are the New England Patriots in prime position to acquire one of the NFL's premier receivers?
The oddsmakers seem to like the Pats chances.
Per DraftKings Sportsbook, the Patriots are one of the betting favorites to secure the services of Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. The latest lines have the Pats listed at +450 odds, second only to the Green Bay Packers at +350.
It was reported last week that the Cardinals are expected to explore trade possibilities for the 31-year-old veteran. Hopkins is a five-time Pro Bowler and has also been named to five All-Pro teams throughout his 10-year career. He has topped the 1,000 receiving yards mark in six of those seasons, with 71 total touchdown receptions.
After serving a six-game suspension to start the season, Hopkins has re-established himself as Arizona’s primary scoring option, logging 64 catches for 717 yards and three touchdowns in just nine games. As a result, the 10-year veteran helped to reverse the fortune of a Cardinals offense which largely underperformed this season.
Unsurprisingly, Hopkins drew effusive praise from coach Bill Belichick, when the Pats and Cardinals met for a week 14 matchup at State Farm Stadium, resulting in a 27-13 victory.
With the news of his availability spreading through the NFL fandom rumor mill, as well as the favorability of the betting odds, Patriots fans are quickly warming to DraftKings' prognostications.
New England's hopes may also have been buoyed by Arizona's hiring of former Patriots' head scout Monti Ossenfort as their new general manager. Ossenfort previously held several roles in the Patriots' scouting department, earning four Super Bowl titles between 2003 and 2019. He also spent the past three seasons as spent the past three seasons as the Tennessee Titans' director of player personnel, working closely with head coach -- and former Patriots linebacker -- Mike Vrabel.
As George Costanza would say "It is all lockin' in now."
Not so fast ...
There is another major personnel move to be made in New England this offseason. Interestingly enough, the front-runner for that position may cause some conflict with a potential deal to complete the trade for Hopkins. Alabama offensive coordinator, and former Patriots coach, Bill O'Brien is considered the early favorite to land New England's open OC job for 2023.
Herein lies the rub.
O'Brien and Hopkins have a bit of a complicated past.
Hopkins played under O'Brien as a member of the Houston Texans from 2014-2019, when the 53-year-old Dorchester, Mass. native was the team's head coach. Their working relationship unceremoniously ended when Hopkins and a fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft were sent to the Cardinals for running back David Johnson, a 2020 second-round pick, and a 2021 fourth-round pick. Reception to the trade was highly critical of the Texans, -- especially O’Brien -- with multiple analysts calling it one of the worst of all time from their perspective, while simultaneously praising the Cardinals for "robbing" the Texans.
It has long been speculated that Hopkins was traded due to personal problems with O'Brien. In the aftermath of his trade, anonymous criticisms of Hopkins surfaced claiming the wide receiver missed practices, while calling into question the people with which Hopkins associated. In fact, former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin suggested that O'Brien may have crossed the line by comparing Hopkins' personal situation to that of the nefarious history of the late Aaron Hernandez.
Hopkins was quick to diffuse the exploitative direction of the story by taking to social media shortly after his trade to Arizona.
This is being blown way out of proportion. As I've said before, I enjoyed and am proud of my time with the Texans. I have the utmost respect for Coach O'Brien and that will not change. Now, I'm ready to play for the Cardinals.
— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) March 18, 2020
Hopkins continued to set the record straight in a telephone interview with Sports Illustrated in April 2020, where acknowledged professional conflicts with his former head coach. He told SI the practice criticisms stemmed from 2018 when an ankle injury forced him to miss practice time. Hopkins pointed out that the injury did not sideline him for any games. while asserting that there was "no evidence" of his absence from practices hurting the team. Hopkins actually had his best season that year, finishing with 115 receptions and 1,572 yards.
As expected, neither O'Brien nor Hopkins have expressed a willingness to work together since their split three years ago.
Has time been enough for Hopkins to heal old wounds and begin a new chapter in New England -- potentially with O'Brien as his offensive coordinator?
Or are both sides better served by remaining separate for the remainder of their careers?
All parties involved will have to weigh that decision very carefully in the coming days and weeks, with the Patriots perhaps having to choose between one or the other.
As the old saying goes, there is never a dull moment in New England.
Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots
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