Tuesday Patriots Notebook 5/30: News and Notes
Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
Some news and notes for this morning after a brief break yesterday:
Could Hopkins Be a Patriot?
After an offseason that seemingly mirrored similar posturing to what we’ve seen from San Francisco, the Arizona Cardinals joined the 49ers as losers when it came to DeAndre Hopkins.
Reports for most of the offseason had said the demands for Hopkins, at least as it pertained to trade compensation, were fairly high, with the Cardinals clearly standing their ground when it came to their demands. Obviously, the hope was that a team would potentially pay up to acquire the soon-to-be 31-year-old receiver.
Instead, nothing ever materialized, and like Jimmy Garoppolo in San Francisco, they ultimately parted ways with Hopkins last week. Now they’ll potentially end up with nothing to show for it.
The next question is obviously whether or not New England might be in the sweepstakes for his services, especially given the affinity Bill Belichick has for him based on what we saw in the Hard Knocks series this past season.
Mike Reiss referred to a past appearance on the “I Am Athlete” podcast in his Sunday column where Hopkins listed Josh Allen, Jalen Jurts, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Justin Herbert as the top five quarterbacks he’d like to play for, which could make joining the Patriots a longshot for a player who is on the backside of his career.
Still, there’s apparently a possibility Hopkins could stay in Arizona. As ProFootballTalk.com pointed out, no official transaction has come through from the NFL just yet thanks to the Memorial Day weekend holiday, which extended to a four-day break.
As a result, Mike Florio also highlighted that it’s possible that the Cardinals could change their mind given some of the interest that was sparked by the news of Hopkins’ impending departure.
For now, while the thought of Hopkins rounding out New England’s receiving corps is intriguing, it’s still tough to imagine him landing here. With not a lot of time left, it appears the veteran wideout’s focus may be to go somewhere he believes he’s got an immediate shot at winning a title.
Although Hopkins did post this video on his Instagram story, which was interesting. Needless to say, if none of the teams on his wish list come through, maybe anything is possible.
Douglas’ Former Coach Has High Expectations
While a lot of the talk after draft weekend centered around LSU’s Kayshon Boutte, who the club took in the sixth round last month, fellow sixth-round rookie receiver Demario Douglas is a player who remains intriguing.
The former Liberty standout was a player where coming out of draft weekend when you look at his film, he’s beyond impressive.
He’s incredibly quick with terrific lateral speed. But what’s most amazing is his ability where, after catching the football, he’ll make a move to make the defender miss and then absolutely blow past them.
Douglas’ acceleration and ability to make guys miss is likely what caught the attention of scouts and ultimately led to New England picking him. In fact, his former coach, Hugh Freeze, believes that Douglas is potentially set to become quite an asset with his new team.
“He could play for me right now at Auburn and start for us,” Freeze told Mike Reiss recently. “He is the best, most quick-twitched kid at getting in and out of breaks that I’ve ever coached.
“He’s not the burner 4.27 guy [in the 40-yard dash], but his … short-area quickness and his hands are phenomenal. If you watch the way he rolls out of breaks, it’s pretty darn special.”
The fact Freeze, who is now coaching one of the top teams in the SEC, believes that definitely speaks volumes. Douglas may not be the biggest player, but he’s got the short-field elusiveness that has been lacking since the retirement of Julian Edelman.
While those are some massive shoes to fill, if you’ve watched him play, he definitely remains one of the more interesting names to watch in the coming months.
Cajuste Joining Jets
It didn’t take long for Yodney Cajuste to find work.
After being released by the Patriots last week, the former offensive lineman appears set to join one of New England’s AFC East rivals, with Cajuste reportedly agreeing to terms with the Jets.
Cajuste was released by the Patriots last week, with the move also saving New England $2.74 million in cap space.
His release saw the team part ways with the last remaining pick from the 2019 draft, with 3rd round pick Damien Harris having also left after signing with Buffalo this offseason.
Remembering Marquise Hill
Memorial Day Weekend is always a time when it’s hard not to think of former Patriots defensive lineman Marquise Hill, who passed away in a jetski accident back in 2007.
Hill was a standout at LSU and a second-round pick by the team in 2004, which was the same year they drafted Vince Wilfork with the #21 pick in Round one.
He was a beloved player in the locker room, with his teammate Jarvis Green, who played with him at LSU, wearing Hill’s shoulder pads throughout that entire season. The team wore a #91 sticker on their helmet throughout that 2007 season.
He was just 24 years old when he passed away, drowning in Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans after he and his friend, Ashley Blazio, were both knocked from their jet skis in what was said to be rough waters.
According to reports, Hill kept his calm and bravely shouted instructions to Blazio, who was able to get to a buoy and remain there until rescuers could get to her. Meanwhile, Hill, unfortunately, was taken by the current away from her, with rescuers eventually locating him 17 hours later and pulling him out of the lake.
Reiss reported this past Sunday that Hill’s old locker remains intact, with the club keeping his memory alive while also reminding their current and future players of how quickly life can be taken away.
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