Gronk to retire

[Mack Herron]

Barnwell: The unique greatness of Gronk, and where the Pats go next

 

[Yehoodi]

Great player and sorry to see him leave. But as some have said we had a feeling this might be coming.

Glad we had him and had him for 9 years. And glad that he is taking care of his long term health.

Too bad he was so good that folks needed to make high risk tackles on him to bring him down. Would of love to seen him play a full health career.

With that said, wish him a lot of lot in retirement.

 

[bresna]

I don't see how any of this is connected. They just needed to pull the Gilmore restructure button at any point to create a somewhat similar amount of cap space. FA wasn't affected by that at all.

Cook is on record as saying that he wasn't considering the Patriots because of Gronk. Word on the street is that the Patriots offered more than the Saints but he took the Saints offer strictly because of this.

 

[Love The Drake]

Cook is on record as saying that he wasn't considering the Patriots because of Gronk. Word on the street is that the Patriots offered more than the Saints but he took the Saints offer strictly because of this.

He hasnt signed yet eventually we have to switch one of these guys?
Why don't free agents wants to play for the Pats?
Humphries Beasley Tate Cook
WTF
Seems like we need to trade for our difference makers or draft them this season.

 

[Ring 6]

No he didn't. He was utterly superfluous in both SBs.

He was the mvp in one of them.

 

[Ivan]

He needs to watch Smith a bit more. His route running is excellent for a TE coming out of college. I also don’t see the same weaknesses as a blocker. He’s not my #1 TE by any stretch. Hockensen and Fant are. But we won’t have a shot at those two.

I seriously doubt Hockenson will be available but Fant could slip to #32. However with Gronk now out of the picture I’m not so sure that Fant is what Belichick will want. I’m thinking a trade out of #32 may be the most likely move. And as much as I hate it when they move out of the 1st I like the 2nd and 3rd rounds of this draft enough that it may be their best move. Either way I see them loading up on offense in this draft. And Gronk’s cap relief would allow them to sign Philon, which would settle DL for the time being and allow them to focus fully on offense.

 

[RobertWeathers]

He hasnt signed yet eventually we have to switch one of these guys?
Why don't free agents wants to play for the Pats?
Humphries Beasley Tate Cook
WTF
Seems like we need to trade for our difference makers or draft them this season.

I think you know the reasons why some players do not come to New England.

 

[Uptown]

According to sources, Gronk was penalized 69 times in his career...although, I’m sure he doesn’t mind.

 

[luuked]

Cook is on record as saying that he wasn't considering the Patriots because of Gronk. Word on the street is that the Patriots offered more than the Saints but he took the Saints offer strictly because of this.

Not true at all. You won't find a single source that will say that the Pats offered MORE than the Saints and that he took the offer STRICTLY because of this.

You are misrepresenting what Reiss or King wrote completely. Concerns about his role become "STRICTLY" and the Pats trying to sign him suddenly becomes "OFFERING MORE". Don't embellish reports and stay with the facts.

 

[RobertWeathers]

According to sources, Gronk was penalized 69 times in his career...although, I’m sure he doesn’t mind.

You made me look

Looks like there were 49 accepted penalties. Maybe there were 20 which were declined?

Maybe "49" has a sexual connotation to it?

Rob Gronkowski Career Penalties | Pro-Football-Reference.com

 

[Love The Drake]

Not true at all. You won't find a single source that will say that the Pats offered MORE than the Saints and that he took the offer STRICTLY because of this.

You are misrepresenting what Reiss or King wrote completely. Concerns about his role become "STRICTLY" and the Pats trying to sign him suddenly becomes "OFFERING MORE". Don't embellish reports and stay with the facts.

He hasn't signed yet and as a Patriot fan here it goes if he signs here he is a beast.
If he signs with NO he's on the downside of his career and he couldn't hack it in New England

 

[luuked]

Comparing anyone to him in any aspect is about as foolish as comparing 99% of QB's to Brady.

Gronk was the best TE ever & I seriously question anyone saying different.

Again the guy was part tackle. How many better blockers at the position?

Who had better hands?

Was better taking a hit & getting yac?

What about stretching the field?

TD's?

He was dominate almost his entire career.

Agreed I be very happy w another one of those 2 who were good players in thwir own right.

People just have difficulty properly appreciating the blocking aspect of any player. And with TEs it is even worse because apparently many think that any player with a bigger frame or body must be a good blocker.

The best example is Jared Cook. He is a big dude and people around many threads say "he will be fine blocking" when in reality he has been pretty poor at that.

Even PFF picked up on that:

 

[Uptown]

 

[luuked]

He hasn't signed yet and as a Patriot fan here it goes if he signs here he is a beast.
If he signs with NO he's on the downside of his career and he couldn't hack it in New England

He would be the opposite of Allen. Good as a target but poor blocker. Whether he signs here or in NO will not make or break the 2019 season.

 

[RobertWeathers]

People just have difficulty properly appreciating the blocking aspect of any player. And with TEs it is even worse because apparently many think that any player with a bigger frame or body must be a good blocker.

The best example is Jared Cook. He is a big dude and people around many threads say "he will be fine blocking" when in reality he has been pretty poor at that.

Even PFF picked up on that:

I said I wasn't interested in Cook before Gronk retired and I'm still not interested.

 

[italian pat patriot]

Damn... I really have the sads right now.

More and more too...seems i "lost" more then a playier..how many nights here in Italy to love uniform 87...

 

[Uptown]

 

[Family]

Couldn’t agree more. Just a shame that we couldn’t seen him do it longer. Feels like a Barry Sanders kind of career.

Somewhere between Barry and Jim Brown.

Barry Sanders was great, but he didn't influence a team's championship chances near the degree Gronk did. People forget that a high percentage of Barry's carries were for losses. In addition Sanders averaged less than 70 yards a game rushing in his postseason career.

Gronk was a beast when it mattered most. I get the analogy about greatness in your example was career length based, but I couldn't resist pointing out this difference.Sanders was one dimensional, which made him kind of a stiff in the postseason. He was like the big home run hitter who failed against great pitching.

Gronk contributed to championships more any non QB's to ever play the game, except for a handful of players. Brown and Rice come to mind, but no one else of the top of my head.

 

[venecol]

People just have difficulty properly appreciating the blocking aspect of any player. And with TEs it is even worse because apparently many think that any player with a bigger frame or body must be a good blocker.

The best example is Jared Cook. He is a big dude and people around many threads say "he will be fine blocking" when in reality he has been pretty poor at that.

Even PFF picked up on that:

Then why in the world would BB want to sign a TE that can't block, nvm about getting into a bidding war over him? Doesn't make sense.

 

[venecol]

It seems that last year the O morphed into a smash mouth run O towards the end. We had two good blocking TEs. Now, they are both gone.

Doesn't it seem easier and cheaper to get blocking TEs than try to replace Gronk? I mean there is no replacing him but to just get a receiving TE doesn't seem to add anything to the deception caused by having Gronk, so might as well find a good WR?