Damien Woody thinks the Patriots not getting DeAndre Hopkins is a ‘huge miss’

Patriots

Hopkins is about to affix the Titans.

Regardless of a reported degree of “good vibes” between DeAndre Hopkins and the Patriots, the proficient huge receiver is about to affix the Titans as an alternative.

Hopkins, 31, had visited New England following the Cardinals’ resolution to launch him earlier within the 2023 offseason. But whereas the 2 sides appear to have mentioned phrases, no deal was agreed to.

Now, he’s reportedly heading to Tennessee, one other AFC group in want of huge receiver assist. It’s an early subplot within the 2023 Patriots season, as Invoice Belichick and newly put in offensive coordinator Invoice O’Brien construct an offense that doesn’t embody Hopkins, probably the most prolific gamers at his place during the last decade.

One former Patriots participant thinks it was a mistake to not pursue Hopkins with extra zeal.

Damien Woody, an offensive line starter for the Patriots in a number of Tremendous Bowls who’s now an ESPN analyst, supplied his take throughout a section on “Get Up!”.

“I believe it’s an enormous miss by New England,” mentioned Woody, citing the group’s obvious lack of expertise at receiver.

“As gamers once we go into conferences on Wednesday, coaches all the time form of circle guys like, ‘These are the fellows we’ve got to game-plan for,’” Woody added. “Who’re you doing that [for] in New England on the huge receiver place?No person.”

Woody credited Belichick for bringing in O’Brien after the one-year experiment through which two former defensive coaches led the offense backfired. Jones, having excelled in his rookie season in 2021 below former assistant Josh McDaniels, didn’t progress as many anticipated in 2022.

“This can be a crucial 12 months to attempt to rebound so far as your profession after the catastrophe that was final season, and also you don’t have a bonafide [top wide receiver] on the surface,” Woody mentioned of Jones’s third 12 months within the NFL.

And other than higher-level concerns of roster constructing, Woody targeted on Hopkins’ soccer impression, which can now profit Tennessee as an alternative of New England.

“If you don’t have that man on third down and also you’ve acquired to have [a completion], that’s an enormous miss.”