The Facts: Following up on a previous item. ... The Falcons lost a tight end and gained a tight end. Ryan hates to see Austin Hooper go but welcomes the arrival of Hayden Hurst to replace Hooper. Hooper signed a four-year, $42 million deal with the Browns. “Obviously it’s tough to lose a guy like Austin because he was so productive for us,” Ryan said, via Vaughn McClure of ESPN. “At the same time, I’m very happy for him because I think he deserves every penny he’s made. He played great for us. So I’m happy for him, personally.’’
Diehards Line:Hurst, a 2018 first-round pick, has made 43 receptions and 512 yards with three touchdowns the past two seasons. “I’m excited about the addition of Hayden to our roster and look forward to getting to work with him, whenever things settle down and get back to normal,” Ryan said. Working in Ryan and Hurst's favor, Falcons OC Dirk Koetter's long history of heavy tight end usage.