Raiders reach deal with former Titans TE Hooper

HENDERSON, Nev. — Having traded a former Pro Bowler away at the start of free agency in Darren Waller, the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday reached a free agent deal with another former Pro Bowler in Austin Hooper.

Terms were not disclosed by the Raiders, but a source confirmed to ESPN that Hooper, who spent last season with the Tennessee Titans, agreed to a one-year deal.

He joins O.J. Howard, who signed with the Raiders on Monday, and returning players Jesper Horsted and Cole Fotheringham. The Raiders traded Waller, who set a franchise record with 107 catches in 2020, to the New York Giants for a third-round pick in this spring’s draft, No. 100 overall, earlier this month.

The Cleveland Browns released Hooper last year, and he signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Titans before the 2022 season. He started off slow but posted 24 of his 41 receptions over the last eight games. Hooper had two receiving touchdowns, tying him with Robert Woods for third on the team.

Hooper, 28, started only two games for the Titans, but his 503 snaps was the second-most among the team’s tight ends. He was used primarily as a pass-catching option for Tennessee.

Hooper, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, was originally selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round out of Stanford in the 2016 draft and spent his first four seasons with the team. The Browns signed Hooper to a four-year, $44 million contract in 2020.

He has 339 catches for 3,468 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career.

ESPN’s Turron Davenport contributed to this report.

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