2017 Gronk: Mojo Gronk
- Thread starter ifmanis5
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It's weird, this team is going to win 12 or 13 games, yet it will never feel like they truly peaked.
They've added a third TE since, though. Is Matt Lengel better than Derby? If the answer's no, the 5th-rounder they picked up doesn't make me feel any better.
Bennett's already hurt though, and he was already dinged up when they traded Derby.
On some snaps, sure, but I'm guessing if they had been told Gronk would be season over they would have kept him to keep the 2 TE set (Flemming doesn't count) available as an option.
But they added him after Gronk got hurt, correct? Not that he added anything anyway...
There can be some argument over who is a better receiver (and it's still Gronk), but Gronk is one of, if not the, best blocking TE in football, and while Graham has gotten better since coming to SEA, most of his career he's been a matador. So yeah, absolutely.
He's dinged up, but he's playing. I just think they'll do what we've seen them do most often in the past when Gronk gets hurt, go to a 3 WR offense. I dont think they want zero TE's on the roster, but I think Derby's role likely would still have been pretty limited if Bennett was healthy (particularly given they shipped him off for a 5th rounder mid season).
Possible it was a miss/screw up, but I dont feel worse because AJ Derby isnt on the roster.
Is it too much to ask to have 1 full season with 2 awesome Tight Ends healthy for every game? Dammit.
NFL Retweet @NFLRT 18m18 minutes ago
Jeff Fisher thinks the Patriots offense should be fine with Aaron Hernandez filling in for Rob Gronkowski this week.
3 replies 130 retweets 161 likes
Jeff Fisher thinks the Patriots offense should be fine with Aaron Hernandez filling in for Rob Gronkowski this week.
3 replies 130 retweets 161 likes
Well, this certainly explains why the likes of Curran were starting to whisper about Gronk's status going forward with the Pats. And given past tensions between the team's medical staff and Team Gronk, you almost wonder whether there's some additional BS around his diagnosis and treatment regimen that hasn't surfaced yet.
All that said, I'd be hesitant to write the guy off yet – maybe for this season but the "his best days are behind him" stuff feels overblown. Never put it past BB to cut bait with a respected veteran and all, but Gronk was an absolute beast once Brady got back on the field.
All that said, I'd be hesitant to write the guy off yet – maybe for this season but the "his best days are behind him" stuff feels overblown. Never put it past BB to cut bait with a respected veteran and all, but Gronk was an absolute beast once Brady got back on the field.
I think they will go 3 WR for the most part, but now they either a) have to play Bennett 100% of the time even though he's banged up or b) have to play Lengel or c) have to go with zero TE. I'm not crazy about those options and I think Derby in the mix would help. Maybe I'm selling Lengel short.
Hawt TAEK alert: I think there's a pretty good chance 2017 will be Gronk's last season with the Patriots, but I thought that before this latest news.
There are no TE's out there that do anything better than Gronk does as his worst skill. Replacement talk is nuts. We've got Marty (need to hope he stays healthy) and the rest of the offensive weapons. I'll bet we don't have a TE other than Marty catch a TD pass for the balance of the year.
The best option on the TE FA market is probably Owen Daniels so needless to say there isn't much to choose from.
Also, there is the possibility of bringing Marcel Reese in. He did come to New England for a workout earlier in there year. However, he's more of a Develin-type H-back and not a traditional TE.
Also, there is the possibility of bringing Marcel Reese in. He did come to New England for a workout earlier in there year. However, he's more of a Develin-type H-back and not a traditional TE.
Fuck this news in its ear, of course. But sure does make the emergence of Mitchell all that much more valuable. Him, Jules, Dola, Hogan, Marty, Lewis, LGB, and White are still a pretty damn good menu of weapons to role out. Don't think this kills super bowl hopes by any means. But feels like a lot more of the remaining games will be rock fights now. And getting homefield is even more critical than it already was. But again, fuck fuck fuck.
Dion Lewis's return + Mitchell's emergence are nice luxuries. This really stinks though. Always seems like our fortunes are directly tied to the health of Gronk.
Well at least they have a few weeks to figure out how to reinvent the offense instead of on the fly in the playoffs
Probably just the two road games, but they were probably rock fights anyways.
This sucks and Gronk is irreplaceable, BUT, their offense should be good enough (particularly in the regular season) to withstand this loss. They have enough weapons assuming no more serious injuries, so Mitchell/Hogan/Marty and the little guys are used more. The running/passing options remain pretty good. The more glaring weakness is the D, and in particular the D against good offensive teams..
Because Brady over the years has shown a real affinity for receivers who freelance on their route running?
Ok, holidays, greed. Works for me.
$100
You pay me if no TE other than Marty catches a TD pass for the balance of the year.
I pay you if any TE other than Marty catches a TD for the balance of the year.
Balance of year = Reg season plus playoffs
Deal. And surprised you clarified balance of the year in a way favorable to me. Was gonna sneak that in Stitch style (friendly joke this time) after the regular season ended if I'd lost.
Please don't make friendly jokes. We aren't friends and the mods have asked me not to discuss the subject yet you keep posting about it.
OL unless they change his jersey number, but he hasn't played any meaningful snaps on the O line in weeks, only as a blocking TE
It could be his last season period. He plays at an extremely high level, like a maniac. He also has been extremely smart with his money -- if reports are to be credited, he has saved every penny of his NFL pay checks after tax.
More body parts have been broken than not, and this is his third disk, right? Don't see him suffering through this especially if his performance going forward is sub-Gronk-par.
The main issue is what would he do if he didn't have football in his life? He's literally been built to be a highly functioning football players by a crazed father.
Football players can lose it quickly, but I think that's fairly unlikely, he's still performed at a super high level.
I do think he's probably going to be looking for his next extension after the '17 season, he'll be 29, his cap number steps up for '18, he does have the injury history, and (hopefully) they Pats will have re-upped Bennett. I could see the stars aligning for the team to move on after next year if they could sell high.
This highlights an important question, which is more generally how you treat a 6th OL who reports as eligible (e.g. if they throw a TD to Waddle or Solder or something). That seems like a real possibility. I would assume anyone who lines up at that spot counts.
It's not a discussion, snowflake. People still ding me about the watches, and a dozen other posters about idiosyncratic things they've said and done on the board, but I'll do my best to make this a safe space for you.
Paul - let's make the bet payable after the SB for both parties. Even if a non-Bennett TE catches a TD next week, the money's not due till the season's over. And by season we both mean, I assume, the 2016-17 National Football League season.
Get Develin some work at TE? He's no Gronk (NO ONE IS), but we can still have a 2nd TE that is capable of both blocking and catching.
With White and Lewis both back you figure less snaps for him rest of the season.
The Pats have gotten somewhat use to Gronk missing or not being fully healthy for games. Hoping the rest of the offense can remain mostly healthy down the stretch. A good week to be facing the Rams, perhaps BB can use Bennett sparingly. As shitty as the news is, their priority is the need to figure things out on the other side of the ball.
I'm still interested in the rules of the bet. Is it "anyone listed on the roster as a TE", or "anyone lined up at the TE position"?