The Patriots attempted to pull off a blockbuster trade this season for a player they surely knew would be hard to pry away: Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Patriots called the Texans and asked about acquiring Hopkins in a trade for linebacker Jamie Collins. The Patriots would later trade Collins to the Browns for a conditional third-round draft pick.
It’s unclear whether the Patriots were offering to throw in any other players or draft picks in the proposed Collins-for-Hopkins trade, but if they weren’t the Texans presumably didn’t take the offer seriously. Hopkins is a better player than Collins, and Hopkins has a year left on his contract while Collins was heading into free agency before the Browns extended him.
The Patriots also reportedly asked the Texans about a deal of cornerback Johnathan Joseph for Collins. Again, the Texans said no. Again, that’s not surprising. But the Patriots were eager to get something for Collins, and it doesn’t hurt to ask for the moon, even if you’ll eventually settle for something less.
