Bedard: DeAndre Hopkins reportedly set to visit Patriots next week - who would be out if WR landed?

FOXBOROUGH — News item:

NFL Network: "Former #AZCardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins is set to visit the #Patriots next week, sources say. This is after his #Titans visit, as Hopkins’ free-agent market heats up. New England could add a top pass-catcher for Mac Jones."

BEDARD'S ANALYSIS

• As I've been saying all offseason, I expected the Patriots to make a run at Hopkins, especially once the contract was eliminated.
• This doesn't change a whole lot from my previous analysis after he got released.
• Can the Patriots land Hopkins? Yes, and they have a better chance with this player more than others (like Odell Beckham Jr.) because Hopkins is more about the bottom-line dollars.
• You'd expect a 31-year-old receiver who hasn't won anything to forgo the money and just go with the best chance at a ring for at least one season. But Hopkins is a different cat. I do not think Hopkins will automatically go to the team with the best chance to win the Super Bowl. He's never been that kind of player. He likes his money, so this is a case where the highest offer could very well land Hopkins. 
• The Patriots can land him if they come up with the best offer.
• If Bill Belichick does what he usually does — "This is what we can offer you, take it or leave it" — then I think Hopkins goes to another team, and you have to fear the other teams in the division, especially the Bills but also the Chiefs.
• The Patriots right now are 13th in effective cap space. And they can do some other things to free up more. If the Patriots want the player, they could land him with the biggest offer. The chances Belichick does that are not good.
• I would expect the Panthers, Lions, Colts, Packers and Saints — all teams with more cap space — to come calling, along with the title contenders like Dallas, Chiefs, Bills, Ravens, 49ers, Seahawks, etc. So the Patriots can't cheap out on the offer.
• As I've told you all along, the Bill O'Brien factor it's not an issue. It's been completely overblown because Hopkins, again, likes his money. I think O'Brien was fine with Hopkins, but with the contract and ownership forcing O'Brien's hand, Hopkins was dealt away. Hopkins had his best years in O'Brien's offense.
• I think this solely comes down to Belichick and how far he is willing to go on the contract. If he offers Hopkins what he did Antonio Brown, the Patriots have a good shot at landing Hopkins.
• I doubt that happens. That was the one time Belichick did something like that, and he got burned. Could be a factor this time.
• If the Patriots do land Hopkins, you would think that DeVante Parker would be the odd-man out because they are most similar. Plus, the Patriots can cut or trade him at anytime and be free and clear of $6,206,250.
• But Kendrick Bourne can't be ruled out after his doghouse issues last year, and his choice quotes about last year's offense on Friday. I'm sure that's not going to play well with Bill Belichick. Bourne would net them about $4 million in cap space.
• Getting rid of Parker would make much more football sense because the two are similar receivers and play the same position. Bourne would have more value to this offense if Hopkins landed here.