Who Should I Start? Austin Hooper or Pharaoh Brown

Sunday, March 9, 8:57 PM

The New England Patriots are re-signing veteran tight end Austin Hooper to a one-year, $5 million deal with a max value of $7 million. Hooper, a two-time Pro Bowler, notched 45 receptions and 476 yards with New England a season ago, his highest marks since his 2021 stint with the Cleveland Browns. While he began the 2024 season cold, the 30-year-old picked it up over the back half -- racking up four catches in five of his last seven appearances as then-rookie signal-caller Drake Maye got acclimated to the NFL. The Stanford product played second fiddle to fellow tight end Hunter Henry last season and figures to do so again if his teammate stays healthy, as the latter out-paced the former handily in snaps (835-575) despite playing in one fewer contest. It's possible Hooper returns some TE2 value this upcoming season, but he's better off left to waivers until he proves otherwise.

Friday, March 14, 3:30 PM

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that the Miami Dolphins have reached an agreement with former Seattle Seahawks tight end Pharaoh Brown on a one-year contract. The financial terms have not been disclosed. The 30-year-old will join his sixth NFL team since signing with the Las Vegas (Oakland) Raiders in 2016 as an undrafted free agent. Brown was the third-leading snap-getter for the Seahawks in 2024 (264), though it only amounted to eight receptions and 65 scoreless yards across 15 games. The Oregon product presents as a depth piece for Miami, as he'll likely compete for playing time with fellow tight end Julian Hill behind Jonnu Smith, who led the team in receptions a season ago.