Free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins just completed visits with the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots but, according to the latest NFL rumors, it might be a while before he signs a deal with either organization. In other news, J.K. Dobbins is frustrated with the current status of his contract, while Taysom Hill is ready to earn some more targets in the passing game.
NFL Rumors: DeAndre Hopkins, J.K. Dobbins, Taysom Hill
DeAndre Hopkins ‘In No Rush to Sign’
DeAndre Hopkins is probably the best remaining free agent on the open market, and reports indicate that he’ll take some time before finding a new home. The three-time All-Pro just completed a visit with the New England Patriots and, according to a report from ESPN’s Mike Reiss, “both sides are now expected to take some time to assess their next steps.”
This report makes sense for both sides. Reports from the Patriots beat unanimously say that both player and team benefited from the visit, but there is no reason for Hopkins to sign right now. Reiss adds that Hopkins will likely wait until closer to training camp to sign with a team, and this added time could allow his market to grow. The Patriots, meanwhile, conclude their offseason program today and won’t practice again until the start of training camp. Hopkins isn’t missing anything by waiting to sign a contract.
If Hopkins does end up in New England, he should provide a much-needed boost to a lackluster receiving room. Right now, the depth chart is led by Juju Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, and second-year wide recevier Tyquan Thornton. If the rumors are true and DeAndre Hopkins signs with the Patriots, there is a chance the team moves on from Parker. After all, he has a similar skill set to the three-time All-Pro, and the team could save $6.2 million in cap space by cutting him.
DeAndre Hopkins' targets with Jalen Ramsey in coverage last season pic.twitter.com/948i4PDipg
— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) June 9, 2023
J.K. Dobbins Frustrated With ‘Business Side’ of NFL
Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins is looking for a new contract, but the player and team appear to be having troubles coming to terms on a new deal. These struggles have made their way into the news, and Dobbins spoke to reporters about these difficulties.
“The business side is very hard, it’s very different,” Dobbins said, via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “You saw it with Lamar [Jackson]…It’s never just roses and daises. It can be hard at times and it’s business though.”
It is a bad time to be a running back in the NFL. Thanks to an influx of young talent, high injury rate, and the relatively plug-and-play nature of the position, the market at the position has been decimated. Dalvin Cook is only expected to receive $6 million on his next contract, and he has a much stronger track record than Dobbins. Unless something changes substantially, Dobbins will probably have to play out the remainder of his rookie contract and hope the market changes in 2024.
Taysom Hill Ready For Bigger Role
After spending the early part of his career as a jack of all trades, Taysom Hill has started to embrace his role as a tight end in the post-Sean Payton world. With Derek Carr now firmly entrenched as the starting quarterback, Hill is ready to play a bigger role in the passing game.
“The throwing stuff as a quarterback or running, that stuff we’ve been doing for a long time and that’s come really natural for me,” Hill said, via the team’s website. “I think running routes and catching ball, that was a foreign thing for me and I also think because of that, we haven’t done a ton of it and I think there’s some opportunities there that we just haven’t explored yet. As I look at next season, I think the hope and the expectation is that expands a little bit.”
Despite a lack of reliable weapons in the passing game, Hill did not play a large role for the 2022 New Orleans Saints. Appearing in 16 games, the tight end recorded just nine receptions for 77 yards and two touchdowns on 13 targets. Even with a healthy Michael Thomas and an improved Chris Olave, he should be able to earn more targets with Carr.
Main Photo: Michael Chow – USA Today Sports
