The Atlanta Falcons didn't exactly set the world on fire in free agency this offseason. They had limited cap space and weren't exactly in a position to make any splash signings. But that doesn't mean that the Falcons failed to make a bunch of instant-impact signings in Ian Cunningham's first free agency.
Instead, Atlanta was just shopping on a budget for players to round out this roster. But because they didn't sign any major names other than Tua Tagovailoa or go on a shopping spree like some of their division rivals, many of their more impactful free-agent signings have been flying under the radar.
One specific signing that deserves more love is the decision to bring back a former Pro Bowl weapon of Matt Ryan's in Austin Hooper. Although Hooper isn't the same player he was in his first stint with the Falcons, he's played for Kevin Stefanski before, and will quietly have a key role in this offense.
Austin Hooper will have an important role to play for the Falcons in 2026
Hooper signed a one-year deal worth $3.25 million to return to the franchise that drafted him this offseason, and both teams benefit here. He's set to be a massive upgrade over Charlie Woerner to be the TE2 behind Kyle Pitts, but even as a non-starter, he should see the field more than we expect.
Stefanski runs a pretty TE-friendly offense, but that's mainly because he typically runs a formation with multiple tight ends on the field. His Browns ran 12-personnel (1 RB, 2 TE, 2 WR) for the most snaps in the NFL in 2025, while the Dirty Birds were also near the top of the league in the formation.
And this will benefit Hooper. On 400 snaps in 12 personnel last season, the Falcons' 50.16 EPA was second-highest in the NFL, and Stefanski will make sure that efficiency continues. And keeping two tight ends on the field especially makes sense because the Falcons are pretty thin at wide receiver.
12 personnel typically works when offenses are looking to run the play-action game, and Atlanta should run play-action a whole lot more with Stefanski than Zac Robinson. And since Tua Tagovailoa loves to target his tight ends, the 31-year-old should benefit for being in a more TE-friendly situation.
The Stanford product has emerged as a reliable backup tight end in recent seasons, but he should be on the field on the level that a starter would. The Falcons are likely to keep Jahan Dotson and Zachariah Branch on the field in different packages, but Hooper's place on the field won't change.
Austin Hooper is one of the better backup tight ends in the NFL, so while he may not be lighting up the stat sheet on a weekly basis, Kevin Stefanski knows how to get the most out of his skillset in a 12 personnel system.
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