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ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the Seattle Seahawks are finalizing a trade to send tight end Nick Vannett to the Pittsburgh Steelers. What the Seahawks are getting in return has not yet been reported.
Seahawks are finalizing a trade to send TE Nick Vannett to the Pittsburgh Steelers, per league source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 25, 2019
Update: The Seahawks get a 2020 fifth-round pick in return.
The #Steelers traded a fifth-round pick in 2020 to the #Seahawks for TE Nick Vannett, source said. Needed help with Vance McDonald banged up and paid the price to get it. Vannett has 48 career catches and 4 TDs.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 25, 2019
The Seahawks drafted Vannett in the third round of the 2016 draft and he is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season. The team has favored 2018 fourth round pick Will Dissly over Vannett to open the last two seasons and it has been apparent that he’s not only the backup but was unlikely to return to Seattle in 2020. There was also no guarantee that Vannett would bring back a compensatory pick so getting anything for him at this point seems like a plus, although it does mean that the Seahawks have a little less depth at the position.
They could be getting veteran Ed Dickson back from injured reserve later in the year however. This means that as of this posting, Dissly and George Fant are the only tight ends on the active roster. Of course Fant is a “tight end” though, not a tight end. A callup or signing must be coming soon. Jacob Hollister, acquired from the New England Patriots over the offseason, is on the practice squad for now.
Vannett has caught four of five targets this year for 38 yards. He had 29 catches for 269 yards last season.