The New England Patriots haven't had the explosive offseason that fans were hoping for after their disappointing 2022 campaign, but they had a chance to change that when it became clear they were part of the DeAndre Hopkins sweepstakes. The Pats had a big need at wide receiver, and Hopkins is one of the best wideouts in the league right now.

Unfortunately, those hopes were dashed on Sunday afternoon when Hopkins signed a two-year, $26 million deal with the Tennessee Titans instead. This is a crushing blow for New England, as they could have sorely used Hopkins' playmaking capabilities on offense, and watched another team in a similar spot as them scoop him up on a very reasonable contract.

With training camp just around the corner, it's clear that the Pats need an infusion of playmaking talent on offense, and while Hopkins was their top target, there are still other moves that they can make before Week 1 of the 2023 season gets underway. So with that in mind, let's pick out the one move New England needs to make now that they have lost out on Hopkins to the Titans.

Move Patriots must make: Sign Dalvin Cook

There's no question that Hopkins would have been the best possible fit for the Patriots in terms of playmakers available in free agency, but now that he's gone, it makes a lot of sense for the Pats to turn their attention to Dalvin Cook. New England has already been rumored to be interested in Cook as well as Hopkins, and with the talented wideout heading to Tennessee, it makes sense for the Patriots to turn their attention to Cook.

Cook was recently released by the Minnesota Vikings, despite the fact he's been a Pro Bowl selection for four straight years now. Cook is coming off another strong season with the Vikings (264 CAR, 1173 YDS, 8 TD, 39 REC, 295 YDS) that proved he is still an elite running back, and he could be what New England needs on offense now that Hopkins is off the table.

Obviously, running back isn't as pressing of a need for New England as wide receiver is, but they could further bolster their versatility by adding Cook to their squad. Rhamondre Stevenson is currently the Patriots lead running back, and he is just as good of a pass catcher as Cook is out of the backfield. Using them on the field at the same time would result in some unique formations for the Patriots.

Beyond that, the Pats have some other hybrid options roaming around on offense that would become even more effective by adding Cook into the fold. Ty Montgomery is still around after he missed virtually the entire 2022 campaign, and he can function as both a wide receiver and running back. Tight ends Mike Gesicki and Hunter Henry often get split outside rather than on the line and act as wide receivers as well, giving new offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien a lot of freedom to open up his playbook.

Obviously having Stevenson and Cook both leading the running back room would make it a little bit crowded, but splitting up their workload could be very beneficial to keeping both guys fresh throughout the course of the season. Stevenson took on a massive workload last year and was running out of gas towards the end of the season, and Cook is going to be turning 28 before the start of the season, so he's not necessarily as young and spry as he once was.

Cook isn't a wide receiver like Hopkins, but his addition could give the Patriots a boost that their offense sorely needs. Running two-back sets with him and Stevenson, where both guys could either get handed the ball or flare out and make a play as a pass-catcher, will put opposing defenses in tough positions, while making life easier for Mac Jones.

Of course, it's fair to wonder how much Cook has left in the tank after he got cut by Minnesota, and his yards per carry have decreased over the past two seasons now. 28 years old at running back isn't exactly young, so if Cook wants anything more than a one or two-year deal, this probably isn't going to work for New England.

The Patriots interest in Hopkins shows that they recognize that their offense could still use an influx of talent, and at this point, Cook is the best remaining guy on the free agent market who could help them achieve that. Cook doesn't fill the same holes that Hopkins does, but he's just as explosive of a player, and ultimately, he could help transform New England's offense if he were to get signed.