The New England Patriots announced Wednesday they have added depth at tight end with the signing of Troy Niklas.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the deal is for one season.

The news comes after Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal reported the chances the Patriots trade Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski have increased in recent weeks.

Gronkowski remains under contract for the next two years, but he has considered retiring this offseason. According to Jeff Darlington of ESPN, the 28-year-old is "pretty certain" he will return for 2018.

However, the lack of certainty over his future has caused the Patriots to consider other moves. Albert Breer of The MMQB reported a couple of teams were considering making offers for the superstar.

Niklas won't be able to replace Gronk if needed, but he is coming off his best season in the league in 2017. The 25-year-old spent the first four years of his career with the Cardinals, although he played sparingly in his first three seasons.

However, he had 11 catches for 132 yards in 15 appearances last year, including 11 starts. When he wasn't catching passes, he was helping as a blocker on offense and on special teams.

New England also has Dwayne Allen, Will Tye and Jacob Hollister on its roster at tight end, but Niklas provides enough upside to make him worth the addition.