The Cleveland Browns made one bigger move so far this offseason with the use of the franchise tag on TE David Njoku. They’ve made other smaller moves including bringing back multiple players on future/reserve deals earlier this offseason and tendering three players making them exclusive rights free agents recently.
Following the Njoku news, there was some thought that it would lead to the team moving on from Austin Hooper. The former Atlanta Falcons tight end was one of two big moves early in Andrew Berry’s first year with Cleveland. The other, Jack Conklin, will be sticking around for another year after restructuring his deal this offseason.
According to Over the Cap, Hooper’s contract has some interesting financial particulars. As is, the tight end costs $13.25 million against the cap in 2022, the fourth largest on the team. If he is cut with a “June 1st designation,” the team saves $9.5 million this year against the cap but he will cost $7.5 million next year and $3.75 the year after that.
If Hooper is cut before the 2023 season, he’d cost $3.75 million that year and another $3.75 the year after that.
In either scenario, Hooper will cost the team $20.25 million in cap space over the next three years. Trading him before June 1st would save the team about $2 million over the span of the deal but trading him after that date would save them $9 million in cap space, mostly in 2022.
With only a trade after June 1st likely to save the team significant cap space, Hooper is reportedly expected to stick around:
I'm told the Browns' plan is to keep Austin Hooper along with David Njoku, despite Njoku's franchise tag of $10.9 million. Hooper is due $9.5M in salary in the third of a four-year deal.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 8, 2022
That could change after June 1st but, for now, it makes the most sense to Cleveland to keep him around as they look to build their roster. Saving some cap space this year only to pay it next year may not be the highest priority for Berry and company.
