The New England Patriots desperately need to win Week 2’s matchup against the Miami Dolphins, or they could decide to trade veterans like Austin Hooper for whatever they could get. Originally joining the team in 2024, Hooper was one of the few bright spots from Jerod Mayo’s lone season at the helm. Appearing in all 17 games, the veteran finished the season with 45 receptions for 476 yards and three touchdowns.
Now back for another season, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox believes the Patriots could trade Austin Hooper to the San Francisco 49ers. Hooper only had one catch in New England’s Week 1 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, but it’s hard to envision the Patriots sending away one of Drake Maye’s top safety blankets unless the season takes an immediate downward spin.
“In this hypothetical scenario, the 49ers call the New England Patriots about backup tight end Austin Hooper. The 30-year-old saw just a single reception in Week 1 but caught 45 passes for 476 yards and three touchdowns last season,” Knox writes. “Hooper also played under 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan during his rookie season with the Atlanta Falcons. He has a modest $2 million base salary that would be reasonable for a short-term rental.”
Patriots, 49ers Could Agree to Austin Hooper Trade
The San Francisco 49ers are banged up on offense and could use all the help they can get. While Brock Purdy’s foot injury received most of the attention, star tight end George Kittle will also miss time with an ailment of his own. Austin Hooper is no George Kittle, but the trade target could provide some support for Shanahan’s offense.
After missing the playoffs last year, the 49ers desperately need to make it back to the postseason in 2025. However, the seemingly endless wave of injuries will make this a difficult challenge. Austin Hooper could help the team, but will the Patriots agree to a trade?
Possible Terms
Knox proposes that the Patriots receive defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos in the Austin Hooper trade. While both players are depth options at this stage in their respective career, New England would probably prefer to hold on to Hooper.
The Patriots don’t have the NFL’s best roster by any stretch of the imagination, but they have a surprisingly deep defensive line. The interior duo of Milton Williams and Christian Barmore can go blow-for-blow with any team in the league, and Keion White and Harold Landry can both get after the quarterback. Nobody is confusing this team with the 1985 Chicago Bears, but the pass rush is not a weakness.
The same cannot be said for New England’s pass-catchers. Even with Stefon Diggs in town, the Patriots still have one of the worst supporting casts in the league. Austin Hooper isn’t good enough to singlehandedly win games on his own, but the trade target has an established rapport with Maye and can get open in the short and intermediate parts of the field. Losing a player like him could be detrimental to Maye’s development, so the Patriots shouldn’t look to trade him.
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