To start free agency, the Washington Redskins missed out on Austin Hooper as the Cleveland Browns made the 25-year-old the highest-paid tight end on Monday with a four-year, $44 million contract.
Hooper was thought to be one of the Redskins’ top priorities this offseason, given the team’s desperate need for a tight end. Earlier this offseason, Washington released Jordan Reed, while Vernon Davis retired — leaving it with only Jeremy Sprinkle and Hale Hentges at the beginning.
But Hooper, an athletic tight end who had a career year with the Atlanta Falcons last year, decided he wanted to play for Cleveland instead. With an $11 million average salary, Hooper topped the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and the Chargers’ Hunter Henry as the highest-paid tight end.
The NFL Network first reported the news.
The deal cannot become official until Wednesday, when the NFL’s new calendar year begins. But Monday marked the start of the league’s legal tampering window, giving teams permission to talk to other free agents.
The Redskins also saw left guard Ereck Flowers accept a three-year, $30 million deal from the Miami Dolphins. Flowers, a former first-round bust with the New York Giants, had a career resurgence last year with the Redskins as he switched from tackle to guard. The Dolphins gave Flowers a sizable raise after he made $4 million last year.
Washington has some in-house options to replace Flowers. 2019 fourth-rounder Wes Martin was the team’s backup left guard throughout training camp and did a solid job when he started the last three games of the season at right guard in place of Brandon Scherff. 2019 fifth-rounder Ross Pierschbacher and center Chase Roullier could also play guard if need be, as well.
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