JAKE HEAPS

Seahawks have a TE that can add ‘different element’ to offense — if he can make roster

Jul 8, 2019, 1:00 AM | Updated: 1:06 am

Seahawks offseason acquisition Jacob Hollister isn't a typical block-first tight end. (Getty)...

Seahawks offseason acquisition Jacob Hollister isn't a typical block-first tight end. (Getty)

(Getty)

With Doug Baldwin’s retirement, the Seahawks will be looking for players in 2019 who can step up to fill his void in the passing game. But just because Baldwin was a wide receiver doesn’t mean that help will have to come from other wideouts.

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The Seahawks have made good use of tight ends in their offense in recent years, especially when Jimmy Graham was with the team from 2015 through 2017. Graham was an offseason trade acquisition by Seattle general manager John Schneider, and another tight end brought to the Hawks in a trade – albeit one that garnered considerably less attention – could figure in as an option for quarterback Russell Wilson this year.

Jacob Hollister, a third-year pro who was one of Rob Gronkowski’s backups with New England the past two seasons, has jumped out to 710 ESPN Seattle’s Jake Heaps since joining the Seahawks early this offseason. Especially when it comes to his ability to do things other than being a block-first tight end.

“Jacob Hollister is not going to be your hand-in-the-ground, blocking tight end,” Heaps, a former Seahawks quarterback, told 710 ESPN Seattle’s Bob, Groz and Tom. “He’s going to be a guy that can be lined up outside, he can be lined up as a fullback, he can be lined up winged next to the tight end that has his hand in the ground. He can add a different element, running a 4.5 (second 40-yard dash), being dynamic with his route-running ability.”

The question is whether Hollister will get his shot. The Seahawks have a roster crunch at tight end with 10th-year veteran Ed Dickson, fourth-year Seahawk Nick Vannett, second-year TE Will Dissly and now Hollister all in the mix.

Heaps said that if the Seahawks needed to clear space to stay under the salary cap, Dickson would be the likely player to be cut due to his cap hit, which according to spotrac.com is $4.4 million. The Seahawks aren’t in that situation, however.

“It really comes down to Jacob Hollister and Nick Vannett in my opinion,” Heaps said.

For more of what Heaps had to say about the Seahawks, listen to his most recent weekly segment with Bob, Groz and Tom at this link.

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