After sitting through minicamp and OTA’s, we’ll be taking a look at each of the new guys over the next couple of weeks to see exactly what we’ve learned from published news reports about each of them heading into Training Camp next month. Today we’ll look back at what we’ve heard from reports on 2nd round draft pick – tight end Rob Gronkowski.
Tight End Rob Gronkowski is a tough player who so far appears to be a nice addition to New England's offense. (PHOTO CREDIT: Icon/SMI) |
The good news is that despite the fact that both Hernandez and Gronkowski are going to be battling for playing time in the coming months, Patriots.com's Erik Scalavino wrote that Hernandez told reporters that he and Gronkowski became friends upon arriving in Foxboro.
“We met at the Combine and became friends,” said Hernandez. “Since we’ve been here, we’ve been close – kind of like brothers already – working together. It’s going to be a nice road ahead.”
Rob Gronkowski looks like he might be a little behind the other tight ends, just based on the groups he's running with. He did get some time with Brady's unit, but it might be taking some time for him to earn prime-time reps.
Albert Breer of the Boston Globe had more on the exchange:
"O’Brien pulled them off the field and lit into them, and it didn’t stop with a correction, either. The message was reinforced — more than once."
Where he really is on the depth chart is kind of tough to tell, as head coach Bill Belichick more or less made it clear that the minicamps are “teaching camps” and that players aren’t completely evaluated during those sessions. That happens when training camp starts, which is where the majority of players will get their shot to earn a role on the football team.
So it’s hard to read too much into some of what’s been written to this point, and Reiss also elaborated on these reports in his June 22nd mailbag:
Gronkowski has worked a bit more behind the scenes and with the lesser experienced players, I don't think that's necessarily a reflection of a troubling sign when it comes to Gronkowski's potential production. A big part of it seems to be splitting up those repetitions. Veteran Alge Crumpler, who is also new to the system, is going to probably play earlier in the season than Gronkowski.
Something has to give and with three tight ends looking like locks for roster spots (Alge Crumpler, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez), and I'm wondering if it could be at running back.
“I’ve been pretty good friends with Tedy Bruschi since I’ve been here,” Gronkowski, the second-round pick, told me yesterday. “He just asked me to come up and participate and help out his camp and help out some kids. I definitely said, ‘Yeah.’ It’s a great thing to come out here and teach the kids some fundamentals.”
Price reports that Gronkowski remains unsigned, but has a thought as to where his deal will fall once the two sides reach an agreement.
No deal either for the 42nd overall pick in the draft, but history and the market suggest Gronkowski is looking at a four-year deal worth just over $4 million with guaranteed money in the $2 million range. (Last year, the No. 41 overall pick was cornerback Darius Butler — taken by the Patriots, he signed a four-year deal worth $4.325 million with $2.735 million guaranteed.)
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