I really think they need to make a run at Hopkins for a few different reasons, and while another poster (cant find the post, perhaps in another thread?) pointed out and i agree with to a degree, is that bringing Hopkins on would bump out a younger prospect who we can develop. While I agree its great to have young talent in the pipeline developing, we also have a 3rd year QB on their rookie deal that we're still trying to determine if he has the "it" factor to be our legit QB1 going forward, and last year was a major hit to his development
Adding an elite WR like Hopkins would finally give us a legitimate outside threat that teams have to respect. Hopkins is the real deal, he's been doing it his entire career and from what it sounds like, his market is going to be about half of what he was making (so around 10-15m is my guess). We paid that kind of money for a BUM like Agholor who was also taking up a spot that we couldnt use to develop a young WR. It should be a no brainer to get Hopkins on a 2 year deal to come help Mac and this offense take it to the next level
You can always stash someone like Boutte on IR with a Foxboro flu and still develop him, and they could also trade someone like Parker if they had to. You need a mix of vets and younglings, you dont want to have all your WRs be young development prospects with a QB like Mac in his 3rd year when we're trying to see if he can be legit or not. Its also not very fair either, all the other teams around the league that are competing in playoffs and for Superbowls have surrounded their young QBs with awesome talent, and now the Patriots have an opprtunity to do the same for what is ultimately a low risk move when you consider where the team is at with cap space and future cap space.
As far as the whole Bill O'Brien/Hopkins fued, I really dont care about that and I just find it hard to believe that grown men can't put something behind them that happened what, 5 years ago? BoB was also the GM, so that is a different hat and different relationship you have with the players in that role.. its possible they didnt see eye to eye on the business side of football, and BoB had to be the head coach and GM, which means you arent going to always be buddy buddy with your players
This league is about production and winning. Im sure if BB thought Hopkins could help this team (and how could he not? we all saw the SFX video of him before the Cardinals game basically getting down on his knees and giving Hopkins a blowie about how good he is), OBrian would be a professional, as well as a man, and make it work. I just dont buy this highschool diva drama **** around the two, im sure its 100% accurate that they had a disagreement and didnt get along back in Houston, and that could have helped lead to his trade to the Cardinals, but that was half a decade ago and they're both professionals that are being paid huge amounts of money to PERFORM, and i have no doubt they would be able to do that under BB's leadership
I'll be disappointed if they dont make a legit move for Hopkins... I'll be so disappointed that I might just go flip my son's little playskool table over in dramatic fashion
cardswire.usatoday.com
