The New England Patriots re-signed veteran Tight End Austin Hooper to a one-year $5 million deal on Sunday night. His contract is worth a maximum of $7 million reportedly. Hooper is coming off a solid first season in New England. He had 45 receptions, 476 receiving yards, and 3 receiving touchdowns. Will he be able to perform even better in his second season with the New England Patriots?
New England Patriots Offseason Outlook
Two-time Pro-Bowl TE Austin Hooper is returning to New England on a one-year, $5 million deal with a max value of $7M, per source.
Agent Steve Caric of Wasserman sports just finished negotiating the deal with the Patriots before free agency starts. pic.twitter.com/WfgptHBkTX
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2025
New England enters free agency with a whopping $118 million in cap space. That is the most in the league by a wide margin. Hooper returns to a Patriots offense devoid of weapons. Even though rookie Quarterback Drake Maye showed signs of promise last season, he had no real wide receiver weapons.
The Patriots have been linked to many veteran wide receivers this offseason including Tee Higgins, Cooper Kupp, and DK Metcalf. Regardless of what New England does this spring to upgrade its roster, improving the wide receiver room is a must.
Final Thoughts
Hooper returning to the New England Patriots is a savvy move. He will provide a veteran presence to a team looking to get back on track. New England holds the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Patriots could opt to trade down for a bounty of picks or draft what they hope is a franchise-altering player at fourth overall.
