Report: Kittle, Ertz, Hooper could reset TE market in offseason
The 2020 offseason could belong to the NFL's best tight ends.
George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers, Zach Ertz of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Austin Hooper of the Atlanta Falcons could redefine the position's value after this season with huge bumps in their respective salaries, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Kittle and Ertz both have one season remaining on their contracts, with the former set to make just $735,000 in the final year of his rookie deal. Few around the league expect Kittle to play under those terms in 2020, Schefter added.
Meanwhile, Hooper is set to become a free agent along with the likes of Indianapolis Colts tight end Eric Ebron and Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter Henry.
The Falcons are currently set to have the least amount of cap space for next season, so it could be a challenge to re-sign Hooper, who's been one of the team's few bright spots with a 640-yard, six-touchdown breakout campaign.
Kittle racked up 1,377 yards last season, and despite missing two games due to injury in 2019, he ranks fifth in receiving yards among tight ends. Ertz tops the position with 79 catches.
Currently, Jimmy Graham's annual average salary of $10 million paces the position around the league, and only three other tight ends (Travis Kelce, Jordan Reed, and Kyle Rudolph) earn at least $9 million.