Falcons letting Austin Hooper hit FA

[boo2202]

Would love to add him to our roster. We need a TE, why not get the best available?

[chad72]

Patriots will either sign him or Hunter Henry, that is always how they have filled skill position voids to get back into contention quickly.

[DougDew]

Does he stretch the field significantly better than Doyle?  He strikes me as a bit more athletic and younger than Doyle, but not really that much different.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

I think we re better off saving money on a TE and try to draft. More buzz today that Claypool will end being a TE.

[funktacious2]

I'm usually pretty weary of players who have mediocre seasons on a contract year.

[NewColtsFan]

9 minutes ago, funktacious2 said:

I'm usually pretty weary of players who have mediocre seasons on a contract year.

And who did that?    Hooper had his best season.

[funktacious2]

57 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

And who did that?    Hooper had his best season.

Nah, you're right. I thought his stats were worse for some reason. 700+ yards isn't bad, just not very exciting either. But he is on a team with Ridley and Jones. A mild overreaction from me. 

[Hoose]

Hooper is an ascending talent. He is younger and quicker than Doyle and would be a solid complement to him on the field. And he can block. Just what the Doctor ordered. 

[Defjamz26]

I’d rather trade a 4th for Howard tbh.

[Orioles22]

I've been hoping we could add Hooper to fill the hole at tight end. He would be the perfect solution.

[OhioColt]

Like to see the Colts draft Adam Trautman in the 2nd.  Trautman proved he is a balanced TE, a true Y tight end, capable receiver and blocker.  With Doyle hitting 30+ years old and Ebron set to be a FA wouldn't mind adding Hooper myself.  If we do sign Rivers as our starting QB for a few years could see us reboot our TEs going with youth.  We all know how much Rivers loved his TEs in San Diego, namely Antonio Gates and upgrading our TEs might be wise decision even post Rivers.  

 

Guess it will all boil down to how much cap space hit we take adding Rivers (30m/yr), Hooper (10m/yr) and a would like to upgrade our weak-side IDL with someone like NT/LDT Javon Hargrave (Steelers) (15m/yr).  That's roughly ~55m just in FA add another ~8m to sign draft picks out of the ~86m total available cap space we are projected to have.  Figure Castonzo will sign for around 12m/yr doesn't leave us much cap space to resign players.

[MikeCurtis]

6 hours ago, Orioles22 said:

I've been hoping we could add Hooper to fill the hole at tight end. He would be the perfect solution.

Agreed

 

We have available $

We have a huge hole at TE

The kid is an upgrade 

 

Why wouldn’t you kick the tires.......?

 

 

[lollygagger8]

13 hours ago, Chloe6124 said:

I think we re better off saving money on a TE and try to draft. More buzz today that Claypool will end being a TE.

 

Les Claypool at TE would be interesting 

 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

1 hour ago, lollygagger8 said:

 

Les Claypool at TE would be interesting 

 

He even said yesterday he thinks he can play that Flex role. He would be a nice replacement for Ebron. 

[richard pallo]

We signed Ebron in FA.  No reason to think we wouldn't do it again.  We know how important TE's are to Frank's offense.

[Jackie Daytona]

30 minutes ago, Chloe6124 said:

He even said yesterday he thinks he can play that Flex role. He would be a nice replacement for Ebron. 

You have no idea who Les Claypool is, do you?

[Coffeedrinker]

https://www.rotowire.com/football/player.php?id=10748&refer=SportsRef

 

Had a knee injury last year but would definitely make a great receiving TE for the Colts.

[twfish]

I would be all for him. I wonder why he has fallen out of favor with them?

[Coffeedrinker]

I have reported this post to merge with the other Austin Hooper thread.

[chad72]

We have the money to go after him and Hunter Henry if we wish to. It opens up the offense considerably. Frank used 3 TE formations a lot with the Eagles and in 2018 as well, it reduced a bit in 2019 but we can give him the versatility again, and it would be money well spent. Besides, the best friends for a rookie QB is a running game and TEs, so we will have those in place for the next QB as well.

 

The only place where TEs go to die is in an Arians' offense.  

[Coffeedrinker]

16 minutes ago, chad72 said:

We have the money to go after him and Hunter Henry if we wish to. It opens up the offense considerably. Frank used 3 TE formations a lot with the Eagles and in 2018 as well, it reduced a bit in 2019 but we can give him the versatility again, and it would be money well spent. Besides, the best friends for a rookie QB is a running game and TEs, so we will have those in place for the next QB as well.

 

The only place where TEs go to die is in an Arians' offense.  

Or having Brissett as the QB. 

[throwing BBZ]

 

 Ballard did pay Ebron well knowing he wasn't a complete player.
Would he outbid the market for someone similar?

[chad72]

10 minutes ago, throwing BBZ said:

 

 Ballard did pay Ebron well knowing he wasn't a complete player.
Would he outbid the market for someone similar?

 

I don't know. Miami Dolphins signed Dwayne Allen from the Patriots to go along with Mike Gesicki from the draft but then had to release D. Allen with an injury settlement.

 

So, if the competition comes from a team in Florida with no state taxes or any other similar state (Texas, Washington and now Nevada with the Raiders), we have to be wary as just being "used" to drum up asking price.

[CR91]

If you want a Doyle clone, Vance McDonald is our man

[Valpo2004]

I havn't followed him too closely but the kid looked pretty darn good against the Colts this year.

 

I'd be all for signing Hooper.  Although it wouldn't surprise me if Hunter Henry was interested in signing here if Rivers came to play for us.  

[OhioColt]

Looked up contracts on Ebron and Doyle just to compare and doubt we sign Hooper based on current FA projections.  Hooper hear probably get overpaid around 10m/yr and Ebron and Doyle don't even make over 8m a year as league veterans.  Sad reality is not many good to great TEs available to be found in FA and feel that resigning Ebron is our wisest move this year and draft a top TE on Day 2.

[Rackeen305]

4 hours ago, OhioColt said:

Looked up contracts on Ebron and Doyle just to compare and doubt we sign Hooper based on current FA projections.  Hooper hear probably get overpaid around 10m/yr and Ebron and Doyle don't even make over 8m a year as league veterans.  Sad reality is not many good to great TEs available to be found in FA and feel that resigning Ebron is our wisest move this year and draft a top TE on Day 2.

I believe Ebron wanted out of Indy.

[boo2202]

4 hours ago, OhioColt said:

Looked up contracts on Ebron and Doyle just to compare and doubt we sign Hooper based on current FA projections.  Hooper hear probably get overpaid around 10m/yr and Ebron and Doyle don't even make over 8m a year as league veterans.  Sad reality is not many good to great TEs available to be found in FA and feel that resigning Ebron is our wisest move this year and draft a top TE on Day 2.

Is two mil really that much more for a TE that’s better than Ebron and Doyle? Think hooper at 10mil would be good value for us, with the usage our TE’s get. 

[OhioColt]

34 minutes ago, Rackeen305 said:

I believe Ebron wanted out of Indy.

Ebron is a red zone TE.  Colts sign Rivers it will give Rivers someone like Gates was and his stats will greatly improve over last year vs QB play with Brissett.

 

I still like Ebron over Doyle long term especially when draft the kid out of Dayton.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

8 minutes ago, OhioColt said:

Ebron is a red zone TE.  Colts sign Rivers it will give Rivers someone like Gates was and his stats will greatly improve over last year vs QB play with Brissett.

 

I still like Ebron over Doyle long term especially when draft the kid out of Dayton.

Ballard said Ebron is not coming back.