Opportunity to fill void
Improved Hollister could help
FOXBORO — With Julian Edelman set to miss the first four games of the season due to his PED suspension, the Patriots will rely on their vast arsenal of passcatching running backs to get by.
It’s also possible someone will emerge from the crop of receivers.
A third option to fill the void? We’ll call this the tight end plan. If the Pats can come up with a bonafide passcatching tight end to pair with Rob Gronkowski, that would also be a viable solution.
The question is, does that tight end exist in-house?
Meet Jacob Hollister.
Of late, the undrafted free agent out of Wyoming, now in his second season with the Patriots, has been working in the special side group with Tom Brady, which is always a positive sign. Hollister is looking more poised and more confident this camp. He’s piqued our curiosity.
First, at OTAs and minicamp, he’s stood out. It’s hard not to notice he has great hands, making several notable catches over the first four days of camp. On Saturday, he held on to a missile Brady fired to the back of the end zone, which drew praise from the quarterback during 7-on-7 red-zone work.
Sunday he made a lunging grab of a Brian Hoyer pass in the back corner of the end zone with safety Eddie Pleasant tight in coverage.
The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Hollister is considered a multi-dimensional or “move” tight end. In other words, he can line up just about anywhere.
The Patriots have tried for years to replicate what they had with Aaron Hernandez, who was also a “move” tight end, but they just haven’t found a suitable model. Martellus Bennett has been the best they’ve had partnered with No. 87, but he and Gronk were never really healthy at the same time.
They also had Scott Chandler, but they never duplicated the kind of favorable matchup situations the Pats had with both Gronk and Hernandez on the field. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels could move them all over the formation and that wreaked havoc with defenses.
Dwayne Allen may have proven a valuable blocking tight end last season, but provided little as a pass catcher.
Hollister, with a year under his belt, could be ready. He’s added some bulk by training with former NFL tight end Kevin Boss in Bend, Ore. At the very least, he may create some of those mismatches and split some coverage schemes depending on where he’s lined up in relation to Gronk.
In wake of being brought over into Brady’s side group with Gronkowski, James White and Phillip Dorsett, Hollister couldn’t quite describe where his confidence level was at this juncture.
“I don’t know if it’s really high or really low. I’m really looking forward to learning every day. That’s what I’ve been doing,” he said. “I feel like my mind is in the right place when it comes to trying to learn from the older guys. I’m just taking what my coaches are telling me, and applying it to the field. That’s where I’m at.”
Hollister played in 15 regular-season games and one postseason game, catching four passes for 42 yards. It sure seems like McDaniels has a plan for him. It’s just a matter of whether Hollister is ready to make the leap.
Another good sign? During one 11-on-11 session, Brady dropped back, found no one open, and it was impressive to see Hollister catch the quarterback’s signal to come back for a pass. The tight end cut off his route, came back toward the quarterback and caught Brady’s delivery.
“I try my best. Every rep you’re out there is going to help you,” Hollister said. “I’m really just trying to learn and pick up the little things I may have missed last year and try to learn every day.”
Hollister also doesn’t want to make too much of his private time with Brady, but he knows that’s the ticket to being more of a contributor and doing greater things in the offense.
“It’s awesome, getting one-onone time with James (White) and Tom,” Hollister said. “Learning from those guys . . . along with being with coach McDaniels, yeah, it’s pretty good.”
Eight years ago, the Patriots started a trend with their innovative two tight end sets. If Hollister emerges, that could be a way to help combat Edelman’s absence.