The Las Vegas Raiders have moved on from Darren Waller, which left a glaring hole at tight end on the roster. Head coach Josh McDaniels is a coach who likes to utilize tight ends so the team has been quick to address the need. They already added former first-round pick O.J. Howard and weren’t done there.
According to Mike Silver of Bally Sports, the Raiders signed veteran tight end Austin Hooper.
Austin Hooper is signing a one-year deal with the Raiders @BallySports
Hooper is getting a one-year contract worth $2.75 million, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. With incentives, he can reach up to $3.5 million.
Hooper is a two-time Pro Bowl tight end so he brings the Raiders some good upside. He’s not as dynamic an athlete as Waller but he’s better in the blocking game. He’s also just 28 years old so he should still be in his athletic prime. He’s coming off a season with 41 catches for 444 yards as a member of the Tennessee Titans. Those aren’t bad numbers considering the Titans had issues at quarterback last season. Hooper hasn’t been to a Pro Bowl since 2019 but he’s been consistently productive. He’s had over 400 receiving yards in five of the last six seasons. The Raiders could still look to the draft to add a tight end with more upside but Hooper is a good player to have for next season.
Foster Moreau Almost Certainly Moving On
With the news of Hooper signing, it’s clear that Foster Moreau won’t be back in Las Vegas. The Raiders always liked Moreau but didn’t appear to make much of an effort to bring him back. It remains to be seen if that was due to the team not wanting him or him not wanting to stick around.
Moreau started 14 games for the Raiders last season and had 420 yards. Hooper should be able to give the team similar numbers and is likely less expensive. Moreau has been receiving interest in free agency. He has already had visits with the Cincinnati Bengals and New Orleans Saints. Both teams are logical landings spots for him but he appears to be taking his time making a decision. Regardless, he should be with a new team soon.
Trent Sieg Lands With Cowboys
Long-snapper transactions don’t typically draw much attention. However, Raiders fans were a bit confused about the team’s decision to move on from Trent Sieg. He has been a key part of the team’s special teams trio of Sieg, Daniel Carlson and A.J. Cole. The team replaced him with former Denver Broncos long-snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer.
Luckily for Sieg, it didn’t take long for him to land on his feet. The Dallas Cowboys announced that they have signed Sieg to a contract.
GOING THE DISTANCE 🏈 The Cowboys have signed long snapper @tsieg58 to assist in the kicking game.
Learn more → t.co/BCoImdWUsf
While fans didn’t want to see Sieg go, who the long snapper is won’t have a huge effect on the team. Bobenmoyer is experienced and should be able to play to a similar level that Sieg did. Now, Cole and Carlson might not be thrilled about the move. They are key players on the team and they should be kept happy. They are both under contract so there’s not much they can do about it for now. Regardless, the Raiders have a new long-snapper in the building.
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Raiders Land 2-Time Pro Bowler in Free Agency: Report