DeAndre Hopkins is reportedly visiting with the New England Patriots on Wednesday and Thursday as he explores his options on the free agent market.
The veteran wide receiver is coming off a 2022 season with the Arizona Cardinals that saw him tally 64 receptions for 717 yards and three touchdowns in nine games.
Hopkins is no longer a superstar-level player, but he's still a very productive wideout who defenses must be aware of at all times.
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When might the 31-year-old wide receiver make a decision on which team to sign with? NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said Wednesday on "Inside Minicamps" that he would be a little bit surprised if Hopkins signed a deal with the Patriots before his visit concludes.
"He is (in New England) today. He is there tomorrow. It's similar to the Tennessee Titans, arrive today and do the bulk of the visit tomorrow," Rapoport said. "It did sound like the Titans visit was really positive. I did not expect a deal to get done around the time of his visit. I would even be a little bit surprised if a deal gets done with the Patriots, whose visit is today and tomorrow, because if you're DeAndre Hopkins -- similar to what we've talked about with Dalvin Cook -- waiting makes sense.
"You have no idea what's going to happen over the next month and early into training camp. There are always injuries. There are needs created. Teams take a look at their rookies and go, 'I thought this guy was going to contribute, maybe he's not ready to contribute just yet.' Maybe a need arises. ... Get all the information you possibly can today and tomorrow and maybe sit back a little bit and consider your options."
Rapoport makes some pretty good points. Things can change quickly for teams at the beginning of training camp, especially when injuries are a factor.
That said, going to a new team and playing with a new quarterback isn't always easy. There's typically a bit of a transition process, and getting that underway as soon as possible is ideal. You don't want to go into Week 1 of the regular season without a strong level of chemistry with the quarterback.
Training camp is when that team building really takes place, so it would probably behoove Hopkins to sign before camps start up around the league.