Dan Orlovsky urges Bill Belichick and Patriots to seal off DeAndre Hopkins signing during WR’s visit - “Don’t let him leave the building"
DeAndre Hopkins' outright release by the Arizona Cardinals was one of the biggest surprises of the post-draft days of the offseason. What has fans even more perplexed is how the wide receiver still remains without a job. However, that could be changing with reports swirling of the wide receiver visiting the New England Patriots.
Speaking on Get Up, NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky pushed Bill Belichick to not let the veteran walk out of the facility without a commitment. Here's how he put it:
.@danorlovsky7 says the Patriots CANNOT let DeAndre Hopkins out of the building:
"Don't let him leave the building. Because you are not a playoff team without him." https://t.co/lJK1SfyYNX
"Don't let him leave the building because you are not a playoff team without him," said Orlovsky. "That's just the reality. This is an enormous year for the New England Patriots as an organization. It is an enormous year for their third-year quarterback Mac Jones. This is a bottom three skill position roster in the AFC."
He continued, explaining that without Hopkins to unveil the true Mac Jones, the team will be flying blind into the NFL Draft next year as to his potential:
"DeAndre Hopkins could still play, he would be by far their best skill position," Orlovsky added. "This is a no-brainer. Once he gets into your building, you cannot let him leave your building if you want to actually get a real judgment on who Mac Jones is right now and for his future as your quarterback."
Why hasn't DeAndre Hopkins been signed yet?
The wide receiver made a name for himself as one of the best players in the game during his time with the Houston Texans. Despite constant turnover at quarterback early in his career, he managed to light up the statsheet. However, it isn't 2018 anymore.
In 2023, Hopkins is 31 years old and on the plus side of 30. He's also coming off back-to-back seasons in which his attendance was a problem. Injuries derailed his 2021 season and in 2022, a suspension truncated the season. In two years, he managed to show up at 19 games. In other words, he missed about half of the season each year.
At this point, anyone who gets him can prepare for a 1,000-yard quality receiver, but only for about half of the year. Of course, this could be a year when he manages to stay healthy and avoid injury, in which case a signing would be a slam dunk. However, there is no guarantee.
Which team will land DeAndre Hopkins and will it be worth it?