Improving the tight end position was a priority for the Tennessee Titans heading into the offseason.
During a year that saw Anthony Firkser fail to take the next step and Geoff Swaim play a larger role than he should, the Titans received very little production from the tight end corps.
Once the Cleveland Browns released Austin Hooper this offseason, general manager Jon Robinson moved fast to sign the 27-year-old.
The San Mateo, CA native earned back-to-back Pro Bowl honors in 2018 and 2019 with the Atlanta Falcons, where he was a go-to target for quarterback Matt Ryan, particularly in the latter year, hauling in 75 receptions for 787 yards and six scores.
His time in Cleveland was disappointing, but Hooper was subject to subpar and inconsistent quarterback play, and he was forced to block more in a run-heavy offense.
Given their need to add a legitimate receiving threat at the position, the Titans hope Hooper can become a reliable target for Ryan Tannehill in the same fashion that Jonnu Smith was for their two seasons together.
Hooper and Tannehill have been working on chemistry so far during OTAs, but the former knows developing that chemistry won’t happen overnight.
“I wish there’s like a magic pill or like, go out to lunch or dinner one time,” Hooper said of his chemistry with Tannehill via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline. “But at the end of the day, it’s throwing it within tight windows. I’m doing my best to make sure he feels comfortable with me. I take that very seriously… I’m rotating with four other guys, so every rep, it’s the sense of urgency you’ve got to have. It has to be multiplied exponentially.”
Through two days of OTAs, Tannehill has looked Hooper’s way early and often. Reports indicate that he caught several passes during team periods and was a favorite target for the veteran quarterback.
“He’s a guy who has been working with us since I’ve been here, and that connection is growing,” Tannehill said of building chemistry with Hooper. “He has some great size and strength and length and that’s definitely a help for him, and it will help us offensively.”
Many veteran players on the Titans’ roster have been absent from voluntary OTAs. Regardless, Hooper felt it was important to use the time to develop chemistry with his new quarterback and learn the system overall.
Tannehill had arguably his best NFL season in the COVID-19-impacted 2020 campaign. The Texas A&M product threw for 3,819 yards, along with a 33-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Of the total yards, approximately 25 percent went to tight ends on the roster, with Smith and Firsker finishing third and fourth on the team in receiving yards, respectively.
What Hooper and Tannehill are doing in limited time together at OTAs is laying the foundation for what hopes to be a deadly duo in 2022.
And it’s not just Tannehill. Hooper is focused on getting right with all the quarterbacks on the roster because being on the same page will benefit everyone involved.
“Just a little more time with Ryan, more time with Logan, more time with Malik, more time in the system and more time around my teammates is only going to make us better, right?,” Hooper said.
“I still have much to learn about the system… The more time you spend at it, the more reps, the more familiarity you have with it. I am in that process right now.”
Hooper will have more opportunities to work with Titans quarterbacks in OTAs, which will continue on May 31. From there, the Titans will hold mandatory minicamp from June 14-16, and then training camp in late July.