Jacob Hollister shows more twitch than the other TEs
After much offseason chatter, the Bills decided against bringing in a prominent veteran name at tight end to pair with third-year player Dawson Knox. Instead, the Bills issued a one-year deal to Jacob Hollister to provide a veteran presence on the roster, but not one that will immediately challenge Knox for the starting role. Hollister is an experienced player in his own right, having caught 66 passes over the last two seasons for Seattle. Hollister’s overall quickness and fluidity in the open field were immediately noticeable Tuesday, especially when watching consecutive reps with him, Knox and Tommy Sweeney.What Hollister lacks in some size compared to Knox, he makes up for with athleticism. Knox was still relatively quick, but he doesn’t show the same type of downfield speed that Hollister showed on Tuesday. Hollister also has a prior connection with Allen when the two were teammates at Wyoming. Only on first glance of Tuesday’s OTAs, Hollister’s agility gives the Bills a little something different at the backup tight end role than what either Tyler Kroft or Lee Smith did in 2020. As long as Hollister stays healthy, he looks like he’s in a terrific position to make the 53-man roster without much difficulty. Beyond that, it’s a wait-and-see. Knox will likely get every opportunity to become the player they hoped he would be when the Bills drafted him in the third round. But Hollister’s experience, production and college connection with Allen, combined with that quickness, should be kept in mind if Knox begins to falter at all in 2021.
