The New England Patriots still appear to be a longshot to add recently released wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, but the free agent appeared to show fans the dream is still alive on social media Monday.

Hopkins posted an Instagram story from the gym that he was watching an NFL Films special on the Patriots’ Super Bowl LI win over the Atlanta Falcons. New England could certainly use Hopkins. It’s more a matter of whether he would want to join the Patriots and if they would be willing to pay up.

He might not cost that much, however. Hopkins was due a $19.45 million salary in 2023, which is why no team was willing to trade for him.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer wrote Tuesday about how much money Hopkins could command as a new free agent.

“My guess would be that the market bears something around half of what he would’ve made on his now terminated deal in 2023, with some incentives to get him closer to being whole. But at this juncture of the offseason, even getting there could be a challenge.” — Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated

That seems like a no-brainer since Odell Beckham Jr., who missed all of last season and hasn't played a full campaign since 2019, just signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens. Hopkins is just five months older than Beckham, and while he is coming off of a PED suspension, he last played a full season in 2020.

The only two teams Breer mentions as candidates for Hopkins are the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.

“And if you add all that up, I think we get one of two conclusions. Either Hopkins finds someone to pay up and takes the bag. Or, he takes less to chase a ring with Kansas City or Buffalo, with the idea that putting together a full, healthy 2023 could burnish his legacy and perhaps set up one last payday next March.” — Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated

The Patriots currently have $14.1 million in cap space, per OverTheCap.com. They also have various ways to free up more cap space with releases, trades and restructures. New England also has boatloads of cap space in the future. They’re second in cap space in 2024 and first in 2025.

With Breer’s projection, the Patriots could sign Hopkins with their current cap space. They could fit him under the cap even easier if they added void years to his contract to spread out his cap hit.

The biggest question is whether New England thinks he’s worth the money and if he could be the difference between the Patriots being a middle-of-the-road team and an actual contender.

Hopkins is not Randy Moss in 2007 or even Darrelle Revis in 2014. But he’d be the best receiving option on the team, and New England could release or trade a player like DeVante Parker or Kendrick Bourne to make it even easier to fit him under the salary cap and free up a place for him on the roster.

Featured image via George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK