3 players Patriots wish they still had on current roster
By Jerry Trotta
1. Jacob Hollister
The Patriots have failed to address the tight end position in recent years.
The Patriots have yet to fill the void at tight end left by Rob Gronkowski’s “shocking” retirement. Any fans choosing to defend Belichick in asserting that announcement caught him off guard should check their facts because the former All-Pro hinted at calling it a career a handful of times over the 2017 and 2018 seasons, especially after a near-trade to the Lions.
That’s what makes the Patriots’ decision to trade Jacob Hollister to Seattle in exchange for a seventh-round pick last offseason so puzzling. In fairness to Belichick, the deal didn’t look regrettable straight away, as Hollister didn’t burst onto the scene until the middle of the year.
When the dust settled, however, he finished third on the Seahawks in both catches (41) and receiving yards (349) in 2019. He also tallied three touchdowns. By no means is Hollister a focal part of Seattle’s offense, but Russell Wilson is absolutely flush with weapons and the Patriots could really use him right now.
Through three games this season, Patriots tight ends have combined to log three receptions (on five targets) for 44 yards. Those numbers prove Belichick doesn’t trust 2020 third-round tandem Dalton Keene and Devin Asiasi, and it really remains to be seen if they’ll have any role to play as rookies.
In other words, Newton has zero semblance of a security blanket in the middle of the field, so the Patriots are undoubtedly kicking themselves for unloading Hollister, who has promptly proven to be worth a lot more than a seventh-round selection.
