The Cleveland Browns added a star addition to their offense on Monday, agreeing to a four-year, $44 million contract with free-agent tight end Austin Hooper.
The 25-year-old tight end, who spent the first four seasons of his professional career with the Atlanta Falcons, will join a Browns’ attack with high hopes of lighting the league on fire in 2020 after a disappointing 2019.
Hooper, the 81st overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Stanford University, impressed during his four seasons in Atlanta. He was an NFC Pro Bowl selection in 2018 and 2019, serving as one of quarterback Matt Ryan’s key offensive targets.
Last season, Hooper set career bests with 75 receptions, 787 yards, and 6 touchdowns despite missing three games with an MCL injury. He also impressed with his consistency and steadiness catching the ball, dropping only one pass in 97 targets all season.
Now, Hooper will join a Cleveland team that already has a couple of elite targets for quarterback Baker Mayfield in Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. The addition of a true receiving threat at the tight end position could be just what the third-year quarterback needed.
Hooper is expected to be healthy and ready to go for the beginning of the 2020 season despite the MCL scare last year.
