It was official that wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins decided to sign with the Tennessee Titans, beating out the New England Patriots.

According to Masslive.com, the major reason for New England not being able to pick up Hopkins was because of money. But let’s keep it 100, the Patriots were never going to spend major money on receivers. When was the last time we saw a major receiver come to New England? Antonio Brown and Randy Moss are the first two that come to mind. And that was with Tom Brady at the helm.

It was clear this past season that the Patriots needed some offense, and quality receivers should’ve at the top of the list. But with Bill O’Brien coming back as an offensive coordinator, I think that’ll fix a lot of issues they faced.

Since Bill Belichick is the the manager and head coach of the team, he’s the man making the decisions. Bill rarely ever pays guys, even defensive guys. In fact, running back Dion Lewis and cornerback Malcolm Butler ended up a Titan after their tenure at New England.

Theory mode: Titans head coach and former Patriots Super Bowl Champ Mike Vrabel knows what to tell players to get to his team when it’s involving New England. He knows what goes on under the Belichick regime, and uses that knowledge to deter players to not sign with them. Devious… but smart.

Nonetheless, the Pats not getting Hopkins isn’t the end of the world. The AFC East has gotten a lot tougher, so it’ll be interesting to see the changes that’ll be made.