Is Jacob Hollister’s future with the Seahawks in doubt?
Mar 13, 2020, 10:18 AM
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The Seahawks appear to be busy this offseason revamping their tight end room, as the team has already signed veteran tight end Greg Olsen and news broke Thursday that Seattle had a visit with Jordan Reed.
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Olsen, 35, has been one of the more productive tight ends over the last decade, earning three Pro bowl nods during three straight 1,000 yard seasons with the Carolina Panthers. Carolina released him, and he chose Seattle over Buffalo, Washington and a career in broadcasting.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Seattle was in contact with another former Pro Bowl tight end in Reed, who turns 30 in July. Reed has played his entire NFL career with the Washington Redskins and was released earlier this offseason.
Olsen and Reed, when healthy, are two of the better receiving tight ends in the league, but Olsen had foot injuries that cost him 16 games between 2017 and 2018 while Reed has never played more than 14 games in his career and has had seven reported concussions since entering the NFL in 2013. He missed all of 2019 with a concussion.
The Seahawks, even before signing Olsen and potentially Reed, had what was seen as one of the better tight end rooms in the league. Young tight end in Will Dissly, who turns 24 in July, has flashed as a receiver and blocker in his two-year career and is the presumed starter. The problem is he’s suffered season-ending injuries in both 2018 and 2019 and has played in just 10 games. Those two were expected to pair with Jacob Hollister.
After Dissly went down in Week 6 with a torn Achilles, Hollister emerged as a top target for Seahawks, finishing third on the team in receptions and receiving yards.
Hollister, who Seattle acquired from the New England Patriots for a seventh-round pick last offseason, started 2019 on the Seahawks’ practice squad before stepping into a large role after Dissly’s injury.
Hollister is a restricted free agent, so the Seahawks would have the opportunity to match any opposing team’s offer to retain him and the thought was he would be paired with Dissly and Olsen to form a very capable tight end trio.
But with Seattle’s interest in Reed, will the 2019 breakout player be with the Seahawks in 2020?
710 ESPN Seattle’s James “Boy Howdy” Osborn questioned what Seattle wants to do with the young tight end on Twitter, and wondered if Hollister would have decent trade value.
I have been curious what the Hawks wanted to do with Jacob Hollister. If they deem he has trade value (5-6th round pick), getting a veteran pass-catching TE for cheap might be an option. https://t.co/Hj7qJlW69I
— Boy Howdy (@BoyHowdyESPN) March 12, 2020
Jake Heaps of 710 ESPN Seattle’s Tom, Jake and Stacy was also intrigued by Reed’s visit, and wondered what that meant for the tight end room going forward.
“The interesting thing about that is when you signed tight end Greg Olsen on a $7 million deal, you would anticipate that hey, the Seahawks are locked up, they’re in a pretty good spot in their tight end situation, but this makes you wonder about the situation of Jacob Hollister and how sure he is to be a lock on the Seahawks’ roster,” Heaps said.
Heaps, pointing to Osborn’s tweet, said he’d be interested to know Hollister’s value in the trade market.
“If Jacob Hollister can draw a fifth- or sixth-round pick from another team, that might be worth looking into if you’re the Seahawks and then trying to find tight end depth and help somewhere else,” Heaps said. “Jordan Reed, when you talk about just him the player and him playing on the field, he’s a very dynamic player, he’s a pass catcher, he’s a guy that can be used in a variety of ways all over the field.”
Reed, like Olsen, could sign with the Seahawks or another team before the official free agency window starts next week as he was released from his contract. Hollister’s future, meanwhile, could be decided next week or even later than that.
Listen to Heaps’ full thoughts on the Seahawks’ tight end room at this link or in the player below at the 15:40 mark.
Follow 710 ESPN Seattle’s Jake Heaps and James “Boy Howdy” Osborn on Twitter.