Tight end Austin Hooper is expected to head to the Cleveland Browns on a multi-year deal. Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers tried to lure him to the Bay Area, however, according to Mike Silver of NFL Network.
Very interesting report from @MikeSilver:#49ers were among teams making a run at TE Austin Hooper.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 16, 2020
Though the 49ers obviously have a star TE in George Kittle--and though talks on a long-term extension are in the early stages--Kyle Shanahan made a run at the TE he coached (as the Falcons' OC) during Hooper's rookie year. Would have been double trouble. https://t.co/vG3SbLB5Ss
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) March 16, 2020
The Browns are expected to make Hooper the NFL's highest-paid tight end. That is, until the 49ers (hopefully) reach a contract extension agreement with their own Pro Bowl tight end, George Kittle. Still, can you imagine that Shanahan envisioned having both Kittle and Hooper on the same roster?
It is curious that San Francisco thought a deal might be a possibility, given the team's cap situation. The 49ers have nearly $13 million to spend and are trying to work out a long-term deal with defensive end Arik Armstead.
Shanahan coached Hooper during his time as an offensive coordinator in Atlanta.
The Falcons made Hooper a third-round selection out of Stanford in 2016. He registered 75 receptions for 787 yards with six touchdowns through 13 games and 10 starts last year. Hooper has caught 214 passes for 2,244 yards with 16 touchdowns through his four NFL seasons.
Shanahan's time with the Falcons left Hooper impressed by the coach's skill as a play-caller.
"Wednesday meetings, he was like, 'Yeah, we're going to run this here as soon as they go eight-box, and then we're going to score," Hooper said last year. "I'm just like, 'Okay, this is probably coach-talk. Whatever.' And then it actually happened.
"I'm like, 'This guy is Nostradamus. This guy is a fortune teller.' And it would happen every time. I mean, we scored so many points that year. Obviously, players were already bought in, but when the guy is shooting 90 percent at the free-throw line, you tend to believe he's going to make it."
H/t to Patrick Tulini for the find.