Patriots Reporter Identifies 10-Year Free-Agent Veteran Likely To Depart New England

The New England Patriots might face the potential lack of a number of key gamers who had been very important to their Super Bowl run final season.

Tight finish Austin Hooper, who is about to change into a free agent, could possibly be on the transfer after spending the final two years with the group. ESPN’s Patriots reporter Mike Reiss recognized Hooper as one of New England’s free brokers prone to search new alternatives.

“TE Austin Hooper. The veteran entering his 11th NFL season was reliable during the past two years in New England, but with Hunter Henry, 31, as TE1, the Patriots likely want to get younger behind him,” Reiss wrote on Friday.

Hooper did not have the best manufacturing this previous season, ending with simply 263 receiving yards and two scores, however he was a pleasant choice for Drake Maye to throw to on essential third-and-fourth downs.

The 31-year-old tight finish has been within the NFL since 2016, and this offseason could possibly be one in all his final alternatives to safe a strong contract.

New England ought to contemplate passing on re-signing Hooper and presumably upgrading the No. 2 tight finish place. He may additionally need to look into signing free-agent tight finish Isaiah Likely from the Baltimore Ravens.

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