The Washington Redskins had high aspirations entering free agency to bolster their offense. At the top of there list was Austin Hooper. However, the former Atlanta Falcons tight end opted to sign with the Cleveland Browns.
Appearing on SirusXM NFL Radio, Hooper acknowledged the Redskins came in a close second to the Browns.
“Redskins were definitely a team that had showed interest, I would say. Definitely a solid organization with another talented young quarterback, so that was probably going to be my next landing spot. It really came down to Cleveland and Washington. At the end, I chose to be a Brown.”
The Browns signed Hooper to a $44 million, four-year deal — the richest-ever deal for an NFL tight end. Meanwhile, the Redskins are left with a gaping hole at the position they have yet to fill.
“I made the decision that felt right and that was Cleveland,” Hooper added.
It’s unclear if the Redskins made an offer close to the Browns. Washington also missed out on Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper after offering to make him the highest-paid wide receiver in league history.
Hooper potentially could have been a huge focal point in Washington’s offensive coordinator Scott Turner’s offense alongside wide receiver Terry McLaurin. Not to mention him being a capable safety net for developing quarterback Dwayne Haskins.
The Redskins had to settle on Logan Thomas and Richard Rogers. Neither signing turns the needle like Hooper would have.
