DeAndre Hopkins shuts down rumors of joining Buffalo Bills as Belichick's Patriots stay in contention

While DeAndre Hopkins is still a free agent, he might have confirmed not joining an NFL contender.

MLFootball shared a screenshot of BR Gridiron's Instagram post about the Buffalo Bills open to signing Hopkins if he's willing to "ring chase."

The five-time All-Pro wideout's response summarizes his feelings about possibly joining the Bills.

Hopkins' latest reaction is a complete turnaround from how he felt about joining the Bills earlier this year. Here's an April 2023 tweet from NFL on CBS showing his reaction when asked about a potential trade to the Bills.

DeAndre Hopkins mentioned what he was looking for in his next squad on the I Am Athlete podcast a month later. Aside from stable management, he wants to play with a quarterback who loves the game and has a great defense.

The Buffalo Bills satisfy all those considerations. General manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott have been with the squad since 2017. Josh Allen is an All-Pro quarterback who also puts his body in the line to score 38 rushing touchdowns.

Meanwhile, the Bills' defense ranked sixth in total yards allowed (319.1) and second in points allowed (17.9) per game last season.

Another AFC East team, the New England Patriots, are regarded as frontrunners in signing DeAndre Hopkins. The former Clemson standout visited the team's facility in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and both parties regarded it as a good meeting.

However, Hopkins hasn't signed a contract with the Patriots. Still, rumors about him playing for Bill Belichick intensified after Matthew Judon's cryptic "GM of the year" tweet.

The South Carolina native also made a subsequent visit to the Tennessee Titans.

Other fanbases want their beloved team to sign DeAndre Hopkins

A Patriots fan is going the extra mile after pledging to donate $500 to DeAndre Hopkins' charity of choice if he signed with New England. Other Patriots players like Judon, LeGarrette Blount, and Mack Wilson Sr. followed suit.

Aside from the Patriots and the Titans, Hopkins was also linked to the New York Jets after following some of their players on Instagram. However, ESPN NFL reporter Dianna Russini said last month that the Jets are not interested in bringing in the five-time Pro Bowl wideout.

Finally, Chicago Bears fans want to have Hopkins after Chase Claypool's reported lack of self-motivation.

While it's believed that DeAndre Hopkins might sign with the New England Patriots before training camp starts, DeVante Parker's contract extension might be a hindrance. Parker's three-year, $33 million deal reduces the cap space New England can navigate to absorb the contract value Hopkins seeks.

The 2023 New England Patriots training camp for veteran players will start on July 25 in Foxborough.