NFL Rumors: Jacob Hollister Traded to Seahawks; Patriots Receive Draft Pick

The New England Patriots traded tight end Jacob Hollister to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2020, according to ESPN.com's Field Yates.

Hollister has appeared in 23 games for the Patriots through his first two years, catching eight passes for 94 yards. His trade to Seattle is pending a physical.

This trade will lead some fans to wonder whether the Patriots have another move up their sleeve.

New England lost Rob Gronkowski to retirement and Dwayne Allen to free agency this offseason. The team signed Matt LaCosse and Austin Seferian-Jenkins, but one would expect more tight ends to be coming in rather than going out.

Last week, ESPN's Adam Schefter (h/t Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com) speculated Benjamin Watson might end his brief retirement and reunite with the Patriots. Watson spent his first six years in New England, and his experience would make him a good fit on a team with title aspirations in 2019.

From the Seahawks' perspective, Hollister might be injury protection for Will Dissly.

Seattle only has four tight ends on its roster (Dissly, Nick Vannett, Ed Dickson and Tyrone Swoopes). Dissly tore his patellar tendon last September, so general manager John Schneider might be thinking proactively in case the injury lingers into the 2019 season.