The odds to sign free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins have swung rapidly farther from the New England Patriots to the Tennessee Titans in the past few days. The Titans have reportedly been more aggressive in courting Hopkins, but could another factor sway Hopkin’s interest away from the Patriots?
Hopkins has said he wants to play for a team with a stable franchise, a great quarterback, and solid defense. Recent news indicates two of those three factors might not be available to Hopkins in New England.
NFL News: New England Patriots have drama this summer

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick didn’t want to name Jones the starting quarterback this spring. Not much has changed since, according to safety Adrian Phillips. Phillips said on the NFL Network this week that Jones will be competing for the starting job this fall:
“Man, you’re trying to get me in trouble,” Phillips said of the quarterback controversy looming for the Patriots. “One thing I’ll say, and pretty much the only thing I’ll say, is that I’m not in the meetings with them, so I don’t know what’s going on over there. But I will say that Mac is competing, all those guys are competing, and we’re going to ride with whoever’s out there.
That’s a decision that’s up to Bill and those guys on the offensive side, but we’re rocking with them either way, and we’re just kind of worried about the defensive side.”
Does DeAndre Hopkins want to deal with the Patriots’ mess?

Hopkins has no reason to want to sign with the Patriots if the team is seriously Bailey Zappe as their starter. I don’t really see a universe where Zappe starts, even if Belichick wants him to in Week 1. And he shouldn’t. Zappe played unbelievably badly against a terrible Chicago Bears defense in Week 7.
Belichick has to start Jones, even begrudgingly, because his boss, Robert Kraft, favors Jones. Belichick, who is on the hot seat this season, must make the offense work with Jones.
There goes the stable franchise as a second strike for Hopkins list.
The irony here is that Belichick’s and Kraft’s refusal to be on the same page this offseason could keep a player from signing with the team who could make a huge difference in making the Patriots playoff contenders in a loaded AFC East.
And quite honestly, Jones needs more wide receiver help to be successful this season.
If the situation for Belichick and Jones were stable, the Patriots would be a perfect destination for Hopkins. But they might have to watch Hopkins land with a Titans team that has their crap together.
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