We took in Alge Crumpler when we had Gronk and Hernandez, and Crumpler was a decent blocker that season. He was named Team Captain after Week 6.
This is what BB had said about Crumpler during the 2010 season. So BB does have a history of taking a 3rd TE who is a veteran and a good blocker.
"He's very professional. Alge's really smart. He's into football. He works hard at it. He has a great presence. He's one of those guys that just seems like he always does the right thing no matter what the situation is. Whether it's in a game, in practice, in a meeting, in a walk through, whether it's a decision on the play, whether it's the way his demeanor is at that particular time, he knows when to smile, he knows when to be serious, he knows when to [step up], when to back off, when to gear it up, when to say and do the right thing. He's constantly helping his teammates and making reminders to them or telling them what to do to help them work off of him and so forth. I guess I think the best way I can put it is it seems like he always does the right thing no matter what the situation is. On or off the field, in the locker room, meetings, practice, it just seems like he always does the right thing."
Gronk and Hernandez were rookies when we had Crumpler.
Gronk and Allen are veterans. We don't need a 32 year old TE to provide leadership to them.
So really you are making an argument for why the Browns should have kept Barnidge.