DeAndre Hopkins concluded a two-day free-agent visit with the New England Patriots on Thursday night. While the meeting was said to be productive, the star wide receiver left Gillette Stadium without a deal.
It could be a while before Hopkins picks his next destination. ESPN's Mike Reiss reports Hopkins is "in no rush to sign," and that he and the Patriots are "now expected to take some time to assess their next steps." The 31-year-old could wait until closer to training camp in late July to make his decision.
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That may not be the news Pats fans hoped to hear, but details from Hopkins' visit are encouraging. Earlier on Thursday, Hopkins posed for a photo alongside Matthew Judon inside the Patriots locker room and posted it to his Instagram. And according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, Hopkins had "quite a bit of 1-on-1 time" with head coach Bill Belichick.
The Athletic's Jeff Howe doubled down on there being a "level of optimism" that the two sides would get a deal done. Henry McKenna of FOX Sports reported that "the Patriots feel they had a successful visit with Hopkins and a deal is realistic."
It is unclear whether Hopkins plans to meet with any other teams. He visited the Tennessee Titans before scheduling his trip to Foxboro. The Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs were among the other teams with reported interest in signing the five-time Pro Bowler.
Adding Hopkins would give quarterback Mac Jones the elite No. 1 target he has lacked through his first two NFL seasons. Currently, the Patriots' wide receiver room includes DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, and Kendrick Bourne. Kayshon Boutte, and Demario Douglas.