The Washington Football Team and Dustin Hopkins agreed to a one-year, $2.4 million contract Monday, bringing the kicker back for his seventh consecutive season with the franchise.
Details of the contract were reported roughly an hour after the NFL’s legal tampering window opened ahead of free agency. Hopkins is coming off his most inconsistent season as a pro, but the 30-year-old rebounded down the stretch when he nailed 19 of his 22 field goal attempts over the last nine games.
Of Hopkins’ salary, $1.8 million is fully guaranteed.
Last year, Washington flirted with bringing competition for Hopkins after the kicker struggled over the first half of the season. Hampered by a lingering groin injury, Hopkins made just 66% (8-of-12) of his field-goal attempts.
But coach Ron Rivera stuck with Hopkins, who appreciated the gesture. He was named the NFC special teams player of the week in Week 13 following a strong performance in Pittsburgh.
“This is the year I haven’t wanted to have,” Hopkins said in December. “… It’s been tough, but you just have to trust the process to where it has gotten you as an athlete.”
As a kicker, Hopkins has largely been reliable since arriving to Washington in 2015 after spending the year prior briefly with the New Orleans Saints. The team cut veteran Kai Forbath to make room for Hopkins.
Through his six seasons with Washington, Hopkins has made 83.9% of his field-goal attempts and 94.5% of his extra-point attempts.
The NFL Network first reported details of Hopkins’ contract.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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