Former Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins working with Patriots coaching staff

Free agent wide receiver and former Cardinal DeAndre Hopkins was working with the New England Patriots coaching staff at training camp this week, head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters Friday.

The five-time Pro Bowler has yet to sign with a team or make an announcement regarding his future as a player in the NFL.

“DeAndre Hopkins is here with us just to check things out, what he wants to do as far as coaching, and you’ll see him on the field,” Vrabel said.

Vrabel and Hopkins were together for four seasons with the Houston Texans when Vrabel served as linebackers coach and defensive coordinator (2014-17). Hopkins later reunited with Vrabel with the Tennessee Titans in 2023.

Hopkins is coming off a 2025 campaign with the Baltimore Ravens, where he played in all 17 games but caught a career-low 22 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns.

Hopkins played his first seven seasons with the Texans (2013-19) before being traded to the Arizona Cardinals ahead of the 2020 season. Hopkins played three seasons with the Cardinals, catching 221 passes for 2,696 yards and 17 touchdowns in 35 games. He missed the Cardinals’ first six games in 2022 because of a performance-enhancing drug suspension and played in just nine games.

Hopkins was released by the Cardinals before the 2023 season. Since then, he spent time with the Titans, Kansas City Chiefs and Ravens.

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