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.