CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns officially terminated the contract of tight end Austin Hooper Thursday with a post June 1 designation.
The move was reported Wednesday.
By releasing Hooper with the post June 1st designation, the Browns are able to defer $7.5 million of his $11.25 million salary cap hit for 2022 to next year. Teams are permitted to release up to two players with post June 1 designations to lower their cap liability for that year.
Cleveland signed Hooper to a four-year, $42 million contract as a free agent in 2020 making him the highest paid tight end at the time following two Pro Bowl seasons with the Falcons, but Hooper didn’t live up to expectations from a production standpoint.
After the Browns elected to franchise tag tight end David Njoku, their 29th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Hooper became expendable.
Last season, Hooper caught 38 passes for 345 yards and three touchdowns. He had 84 catches for 780 yards and seven touchdowns over two seasons in Cleveland.