Five potential Redskins targets to follow as legal tampering begins
By Ian Cummings
No. 1 – Atlanta Falcons TE Austin Hooper
The Redskins have done a great job playing their cards close to the chest so far this offseason, as no one knows who they’re planning to shell out the big bucks for. Tight end Austin Hooper is as good a guess as any, but any guess at this point is just a guess, and only that.
One thing that bodes well for Hooper? He’s the top tight end on the market, and Ron Rivera has a peculiar history when it comes to tight ends. Rivera clearly valued the presence of a top-tier tight end for his young quarterback when he became the coach of the Panthers in 2011. Rivera promptly traded for Greg Olsen after drafting Cam Newton, and proceeded to watch the two prosper for almost a decade.
Now, in 2020, Rivera is in a similar situation: His young quarterback is Dwayne Haskins, and Haskins could use the presence of a reliable tight end to expedite his growth. Connecting the dots, Hooper obviously becomes a compelling match, even with other value deals such as Jacob Hollister and Blake Jarwin present.
There are some red flags around this signing. Hooper isn’t as proactive outside of scheme constraints as other tight ends, and while some specialize at working to get open, Hooper is more of a seam threat. He has good production, but he’s not as proficient at producing raw value for offenses as other tight ends. He’s undoubtedly going to be overpaid now that his only competition, Hunter Henry, was franchise tagged, and the Redskins need to be weary of that.
Next. Top five free agent targets at WR for Redskins. dark
That said, with $61 million, the Redskins can afford to take a risk on one or two players that they feel are necessary to the coming rebuild. And given Rivera’s past investment in tight ends, in this similar situation, negotiation with Hooper might be non-negotiable.
Update: The Browns signed Austin Hooper to a four-year deal worth $44 million.