The Patriots have reportedly spoken with free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and are planning to meet with him. Ralph Freso/Associated Press
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Bill Belichick confirmed the Patriots have been in contact with free-agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, but expressed uncertainty about the timing and logistics of his reported upcoming visit Monday.
“We’re working through it, so I don’t really have anything to add to that,” Belichick said in a morning press conference.
Last week, the NFL Network reported Hopkins would visit New England. The three-time All-Pro spent Monday in Tennessee, where the Titans hosted him on his first visit since being released by the Cardinals. Arizona shopped Hopkins in the spring, but failed to find a trade partner willing to surrender assets and absorb more than $19 million in base salary.
The Cardinals cut him in late May and swallowed a $22.6 million cap hit as they start a rebuild under a new head coach and general manager.
The Patriots are expected to welcome Hopkins on Monday night, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
“I think it relates more to logistics, things like that. I’m not really a travel agent here. I’m not going to say it’s going to happen here or not going to happen,” Belichick said. “There’s a lot of stuff going on that I’m not directly involved in, so I’m not going to say anything.”
The Chiefs and Bills reportedly expressed interest in Hopkins, but were scared off his asking price and invested their spare cap room into other players. The Patriots currently hold more than $14.2 million in cap space, 14th-most in the NFL.
THE PATRIOTS waived running back James Robinson, less than three months after making him one of their highest-profile free-agent additions.
The 24-year-old was expected to serve as the primary backup to Rhamondre Stevenson. His departure leaves Stevenson as the only proven rusher on the roster. Robinson signed a 2-year, $4 million deal that protected the team in case of injury or unexpected release and now creates roughly $1 million in cap space.
Last season, Robinson slowly worked his way back from an Achilles tear he suffered in Dec. 2021. He proved far less effective than the 1,000-yard rookie rusher who broke out with the Jaguars in 2020. Midway through the 2022 season, Jacksonville traded him to the Jets, who declined to retain him as a restricted free agent this offseason.
The Pats now have Stevenson, Pierre Strong, Kevin Harris, Ty Montgomery and J.J. Taylor in their running backs room. Montgomery served as the team’s third-down back in last year’s season opener, then underwent season-ending shoulder surgery, which forced Stevenson into a full-time role. As a result, he wore down as the season progressed and led the team in catches and rushing yards.
MAC JONES was feeling it on Monday.
The third-year quarterback lit up the practice field at Gillette Stadium. Jones was extremely accurate to start practice, hitting 25 straight passes before Josh Uche broke up one of his attempts.
Overall, it was an impressive day for Jones as the offense looks to rebound after last year’s tough season. Jones went 10 for 12 in 11-on-11s. The only two incomplete passes he threw, in team drills, happened when Uche ran into Mike Gesicki to deflect one pass and when Deatrich Wise batted down another at the line of scrimmage.
Jones was hot to start the practice session. He went 21 for 21 in 7-on-7 drills. That started the stretch where he hit 25 straight completions before Uche’s deflection. On his 31 passes, Jones hit 10 players. His three favorite targets were Gesicki (six receptions), Hunter Henry (five) and J.J. Taylor (five). Kendrick Bourne, Ty Montgomery and Rhamondre Stevenson were next with three catches each.
Jones has been great this spring. He has completed 89% (62 of 70) of his passes in team drills. The quarterback has been focused on his tight ends. Gesicki has a team-high 11 catches with Jones this spring. Henry is next with 10 receptions.
Bailey Zappe had a solid day as well. The second-year quarterback went 10 of 13 in full-team drills and finished 9 of 12 in 7-on-7 drills. Zappe has continually taken reps behind Jones this spring and that was the same on Monday.
Zappe’s favorite targets were Tre Nixon (four catches) and Ty Montgomery (four). He also hit tight end Anthony Firkser three times.
NINE PATRIOTS were missing from mandatory minicamp, including a couple players who were major surprises. New England was without Trent Brown, Lawrence Guy, JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Robinson, Tyquan Thornton, Michael Onwenu, Tae Hayes, Quandre Mosley and Kayshon Boutte.
A source told MassLive that Brown’s flight from Texas was canceled due to hail, and Guy is reportedly holding out in a contract dispute according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. Guy has two years remaining on his contract, but no guaranteed money left. The Patriots could save $3 million by cutting the 33-year-old, while putting $500,000 in dead money on their cap.
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