What do you realistically expect out of Gronk this year?

[Pessimistic Pete]

If the Patriots have ANY shot of doing anything this year, Gronk needs to be healthy and playing well. Bottom line.

This team is going nowhere without a productive Gronk.

You don't simply lose two top 5 tight ends and the best slot receiver in the NFL and expect everything to run as normal. Especially when you replaced that slot receiver with essentially nothing since I'll be shocked if Ameninjured plays 4 games this year.

 

[dales804]

I expect him to be Gronk. I think that will take some time for him to get to but, as long as health is on his side, he will still be an unstoppable force on the field.

 

[Kontradiction]

I expect him to be back to being Gronk. His arm will be healed and the surgery on his back was deemed to be "routine maintainance". I don't see any reason why he won't come back and be dominant. If the rookies continue to learn the playbook and can find their hands, they'll be able to create spacing for Gronk that he hasn't seen since he got here, save for maybe early 2010 (but even then he was being used more as a blocker than as a pass-catching threat). If they don't, then he'll still help improve the offense over what it is now, but they obviously won't be where they will need to be come the playoffs (assuming the team wins the division).

 

[FourierSeries]

Any news on whether or not he will play against Tampa?

 

[patsinthesnow]

2011-2012 Gronk:

5.4 receptions per game
77.3 yards per game
1 TD per game

So if he plays this sunday:

75 receptions
1,082 yards
14 TDs

 

[Kontradiction]

Any news on whether or not he will play against Tampa?

I don't believe the Patriots have practiced in full pads yet this week, so we won't have any guess on that from the media until that happens. If he goes through contact drills when they practice in full pads, he may be eased into action against Tampa.

 

[patsfan-1982]

once he's back Brady will throw to him 20 times per game and he will put up big numbers

 

[BradyFTW!]

If the Patriots have ANY shot of doing anything this year, Gronk needs to be healthy and playing well. Bottom line.

This team is going nowhere without a productive Gronk.

You don't simply lose two top 5 tight ends and the best slot receiver in the NFL and expect everything to run as normal. Especially when you replaced that slot receiver with essentially nothing since I'll be shocked if Ameninjured plays 4 games this year.

When the Pats make the playoffs, how will you respond when people bring up posts like this to hold you accountable for how much an idiot you're being?

 

[Pessimistic Pete]

When the Pats make the playoffs, how will you respond when people bring up posts like this to hold you accountable for how much an idiot you're being?

What am I saying that is so outrageous?

That this team needs Gronk to be an actual contender? They do.

I've already ruled out Amendola. He will and always will be made of glass and it was an embarrassing signing.

 

[mgteich]

The poster will be long gone.

When the Pats make the playoffs, how will you respond when people bring up posts like this to hold you accountable for how much an idiot you're being?

 

[Big-T]

He has enough time to get 1000 yards and 13+ TDs if he plays on Sunday.

 

[DaBronxPats14]

When he is cleared to play look for Brady to target him often. A Healthy Gronk along with Amendola will give Defenses fits! It will give Thompkins & Dobson more down field strikes & Edelman in slot screens etc and running game will benefit as well. Gronk will get alot of attention he will change complexion of our offense again if 100% healthy.

 

[pats4life12]

I don't know what to expect out of Gronk when he comes back, its like a present on your birthday its right there but you have no idea whats inside of it. Obviously i'm hopeing he comes back better then ever catching TD after TD.

 

[Archeryaddict12]

I expect him to be a beast!

 

[coolguy]

They shouldn't overwork gronk right now.

Having a 100% healthy gronk for the playoffs should be the number goal.

 

[Jackson 2]

What am I saying that is so outrageous?

That this team needs Gronk to be an actual contender? They do.

I've already ruled out Amendola. He will and always will be made of glass and it was an embarrassing signing.

This post is embarrassing. And "Ameninjured"? How clever. What are you, in middle school, or what?

 

[JMarr]

When he is cleared to play look for Brady to target him often. A Healthy Gronk along with Amendola will give Defenses fits! It will give Thompkins & Dobson more down field strikes & Edelman in slot screens etc and running game will benefit as well. Gronk will get alot of attention he will change complexion of our offense again if 100% healthy.

Agree with the bolded. His return to pre-injury form would significantly change things. But for the offense to be dominant again, we have to rely on quite a bit of luck: Amendola and Vareen returning healthy, Edelman staying healthy, and just one of the rookies beating the learning curve and emerging as a reliable deep threat.

I'm starting to understand the method to [what I thought was] BB's offseason madness. If Hernandez doesn't decide to kill someone, and you get lucky on the injury front, you still have one of the top offenses in the league, even with rookie wideouts. Something goes wrong and you have a big mess.

Belichick decided to gamble in hopes of getting better (no real surprise) and the season is pretty much in the hands of lady luck now.

 

[ausbacker]

Gronkowsk basically came in and performed as all All Pro from day 1. Why should I believe that is going to change?

 

[supafly]

I'm expecting smashed watermelons on television, big boobs and porn stars, wrestling in Vegas, shirtless dancing man love with his brothers, and a healthy dose of anti-biotics.

 

[BradyFTW!]

What am I saying that is so outrageous?

That this team needs Gronk to be an actual contender? They do.

I've already ruled out Amendola. He will and always will be made of glass and it was an embarrassing signing.

Good job. You answered your question in your own post. It's almost like you're learning.