Austin Hooper figures to be the most coveted tight end in free agency and he should see a significant increase in salary this offseason. Regardless of whether or not the Atlanta Falcons re-sign him, Hooper is expected to reset the tight end market at $10 million annually.
When Hooper was selected by the Falcons in the 2016 NFL Draft, he signed a four-year, $3.2 million contract. Now, after improving each and every season, Hooper could likely land a double-digit annual salary in free agency.
Prior to free agency, the highest-paid tight end in terms of base salary is currently Hunter Henry. However, Henry received the franchise tag on Friday, giving him $10.7 million in 2019. Besides Henry, the next highest-paid tight end is Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs at $8 million.
In recent years, the tight end position has become more prominent in NFL offenses. Due to their ability to be a mismatch in the passing attack, having an elite tight end is invaluable for teams.
All that being said, Hooper could very well cement himself as the highest-paid tight end in the league this offseason. At the same time, it could be short-lived as George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers is awaiting an extension.
There are undoubtedly teams that are going to express interest in Hooper once the legal tampering period begins on Monday. Just to name a few, the Green Bay Packers, Washington Redskins, and New England Patriots are possible landing spots.
Nevertheless, whoever chooses to sign him better be content with shelling out $10 million annually.
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