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After the New England Patriots reportedly signed veteran receiver DeVante Parker to a new contract worth up to $33 million that will tie him to the franchise through 2025 on Wednesday, there were questions about their pursuit of DeAndre Hopkins.
However, Parker’s deal “does not rule out Hopkins eventually signing with the Patriots,” according to Phil A. Perry of NBC Sports Boston.
The news of Parker’s extension certainly came as a surprise, especially because the Patriots were considered the “leaders” in the race for Hopkins.
However, it’s important to note that Parker was initially slated to earn $5.7 million in 2023 but ESPN’s Mike Reiss reports his new contract is expected to lower his base salary this coming season, which still leaves New England with enough cap space to sign Hopkins.
According to OverTheCap, the Patriots have nearly $15 million in cap space. However, that does not reflect a lower base salary for Parker as OverTheCap still has it listed at $5.7 million.
The Patriots acquired Parker in April 2022 in a trade with the Miami Dolphins, though he didn’t have a huge role in the New England offense last season, catching 31 passes for 539 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games.
Signing Hopkins, who caught 64 passes for 717 yards and three touchdowns in nine games last season after serving a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy, would open up the remainder of the offense for players like Parker to thrive in 2023.
Adding the former Arizona Cardinal would also be beneficial for quarterback Mac Jones, who is entering a critical season with the Patriots under Bill Belichick and new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.
The problem for the Patriots is that Hopkins is drawing a decent amount of interest from other franchises. He visited with the Tennessee Titans and has also been linked to the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers.
It’s unclear when Hopkins intends to make a decision, though it could come sooner rather than later with the start of training camp inching closer.
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