With Kyle Pitts being the only tight end worth a damn on the roster, the Falcons should be adding to the position this offseason. The influx of talent could come from the draft or free agency, and a new name just hit the market that should intrigue the Falcons — Austin Hooper. According to Jeremy Fowler, the Browns are expected to release the former Falcon as a post-June 1 designation.
Source: The #Browns are going to release TE Austin Hooper as a post-June-1 designation.
A 27-year-old dual-threat tight end and two-time Pro Bowler will be on the market.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 16, 2022
Hooper hasn’t quite lived up to the lucrative deal Cleveland signed him to a few years ago, but playing with a receiving core of Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, and David Njoku would be difficult for any pass catcher. Hooper’s 787 yards in 2019 was impressive, but that total has dropped each season since — 435 in 2020 and 345 in 2021.
Given his $9.5 million salary, the Browns obviously see him as expendable, especially since there’s no guaranteed money associated with his contract anymore. The 27-year-old must have some left in the tank, and a reunion could be in order. Playing alongside Kyle Pitts may not be as enticing as he’d hoped for, but I’m not quite sure he’s TE1 material anymore.
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