in 2023, and while the Patriots have more than $14 million in cap space, that's a lot of money to devote to an 11th-year wideout who has missed 15 games over the last two seasons due to injuries and a six-game suspension.
Then again, the Patriots could desperately use a wide receiver of Hopkins' caliber. Their top free-agent signing, JuJu Smith-Schuster, has yet to appear in a practice session open to the media this spring, and promising second-year wideout Tyquan Thornton is dealing with a soft tissue injury. That leaves Kendrick Bourne, DeVante Parker and a group of relative unknowns -- none of whom can threaten a defense like Hopkins.
So, perhaps Bill Belichick will look at Hopkins' five Pro Bowl nods, six seasons of 1,000-plus receiving yards and 79.7 receiving yards per game in 2022 and decide the talent is worth the cost. In any event, Belichick and the Patriots won't have to talk about Hopkins for a while; after Wednesday's canceled session, the team is off until training camp begins in late July.