New Tennessee Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Patriots couldn't match Titans for DeAndre Hopkins in one crucial area

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Renzo Pocholo Salao | Last updated 7/16/23

The New England Patriots were seen as one of the favorites to land DeAndre Hopkins. That was, of course, until the former All-Pro wide receiver struck a deal with the Tennessee Titans.

The 31-year-old reportedly agreed to a two-year, $26 million contract with the Titans on Sunday. The deal includes incentives that could push the dollar figure up to $32 million.

The #Titans are giving star WR DeAndre Hopkins a 2-year, $26M deal worth up to $32M with incentives, source said.

He gets a base of $12M in Year 1 with a chance to get to $15M. https://t.co/4Vsy2sF1zG

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 16, 2023

The Patriots were linked to the star wideout for weeks and were seen as the leaders in the Hopkins sweepstakes up until recently.

Hopkins was said to be intrigued by the idea of playing under Patriots head coach Bill Belichick following a visit with the team in June. However, the Hopkins-Patriots union never came to fruition for a simple reason: money.

According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, New England’s base salary offer was not “in the same ballpark” as what Hopkins eventually got from Tennessee.

Patriots stayed in consistent contact with DeAndre Hopkins’ camp through free agency process, but their base financial package wasn’t in the same ballpark as what Titans offered. The good vibes between N.E. and Hopkins from his team visit never translated to a workable deal

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) July 16, 2023

While Fowler did not delve into the details of New England’s offer, the “base financial package” phrasing could be construed as the Patriots offering Hopkins a more incentive-laden deal rather than one with a lot of guaranteed money.

An incentive-heavy offer would be similar to the type of deal Belichick gave Cam Newton when the quarterback signed with the team in 2020. But with several franchises still interested in Hopkins’ services this offseason, it’s no surprise that he went with what he felt was a more favorable deal.

Hopkins’ Titans deal will pay him $12 million in base salary alone in his first year, with incentives potentially adding up to $3 million more.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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