ers"Austin Hooper joined the Falcons as a bright-eyed Stitched Matt Bosher Jersey , bushy-tailed 21 year old with tons of potential. Scouts worried about his hands and route running, but the Falcons saw something. They saw a guy that could one day grow into a franchise tight end. They saw a potential Pro Bowler. Three years later, Hooper has proven them right. And no one is saying anything about hands. Impact Hooper racked up 71 receptions (4th among TEs), 660 receiving yards (7th among TEs), and four receiving touchdowns (9th among TEs) in 2018. His Pro Football Focus ratings were solid: 68.5 overall (#23 TE), 67.5 receiving (#20 TE), 65.4 run blocking (#23 TE) Youth Matt Bosher Jersey , and 72.0 pass blocking (#15 TE). (For what it’s worth, each of those ratings are “above average,” according to their metrics.) Hooper was incredibly efficient, showcasing a catch rate of 80.7 percent, best among NFL TEs. In short, Hooper became the safety blanket we’d hope he could be this season. The Falcons offense and quarterback Matt Ryan once again have an elite TE at their disposal. Career Window Hooper will turn 25 in October during his fourth year as a professional. The Falcons have eased him into his current role to some degree, so he arguably has less tread on his tires than some similarly situated players. Hooper’s best years are likely ahead of him Stitched Ricardo Allen Jersey , and given the relative longevity of TEs in the NFL, Hooper may wind up sticking on this roster longer than most of his current teammates. I won’t be surprised if Hooper plays a decade in Atlanta. Contract Situation Hooper’s current contract expires after next season. He has three accrued seasons and would be an unrestricted free agent if he reaches free agency. I highly doubt that will happen, given how last year played out. Hooper made the Pro Bowl during his third year as a professional and there’s no reason to doubt his ability to contribute at a similar clip going forward. Given Flowery Branch’s current financial situation, Hooper will need to stand in line a while waiting for an extension, but I can’t see a scenario where the Falcons don’t try to make it work. Looking Ahead Hooper is suddenly one of the most important offensive weapons in the Falcons’ arsenal. We watched him grow into an elite tight end this season. The Falcons may look to address Hooper’s extension this summer, but don’t be dismayed if they wait until the season kicks off to hash out a new deal. Hooper ain’t going nowhere. Your thoughts, Falcoholics? Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones has missed practice time in recent weeks while being listed on injury reports for a variety of reasons and he’ll add another one to the list this week.Falcons head coach Dan Quinn said that Jones will be out of practice on Wednesday because of a hip injury. Foot and calf injuries as well as an illness have been other recent explanations for Jones’ appearances on the injury report.“We’ve been through this before with him where we’ll take it through the first couple of days and see what it looks like for Friday Youth Ricardo Allen Jersey ,” Quinn said, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “I’m encouraged by where he’s at. But until he runs — move and go — you have an injury that’s there that walking doesn’t bother you as much as cutting and turning and jumping for passes and diving like he does. We’ll have to wait a couple of days until we see where he’s really at.”Jones said a couple of weeks ago that he wasn’t interested in shutting things down for the year despite the Falcons being out of playoff contention. Given his importance to the team and the team’s investment in him, it’s fair to wonder if Atlanta feels the same way as the aches and pains keep mounting.