Gronk cleared to play !!!!

[Harrisoned!]

Of course, he still needs to say that he's comfortable enough to give it a go but assuming he is, I would expect his participation to be about 50% of the offensive plays this first week back. The offense will go from having no threat to the biggest in the middle of the field. Should be fun.

**** that. The team doctors clear you, the 3rd party doctors clear you, you've been practicing a month. If he chooses not to play this week I'd dock his pay.

 

[mgteich]

IMHO, Gronk has four roles, listed in priority order. I don't know how much Gronk will play this week, but I expect that he will not play his usual 90+% of the time.

1) red zone threat

2) run blocker

3) slot receiver

4) downfield receiver

 

[JackBauer]

Finally. It will be so refreshing to no longer have to rely on JV-B caliber tight ends.

 

[Shed83]

Yassss great news!!!

Even if for the first couple of games he's only put in plays in the red zone!

 

[Shed83]

Approximately 5 seconds after the first spike all of the ******ed drama of the last 3 weeks will be forgotten for all time.

Unless he snaps the forearm doing it and then has it amputated!!

 

[mgteich]

I disagree with your assessment of the effect of Gronk. I think that we have been had a middle of the field threat in Edelman. He has shown himslef to be a reasonable slot receiver.

I think that Gronk's biggest effect, in his limited action, will be as a red-zone target.

Of course, he still needs to say that he's comfortable enough to give it a go but assuming he is, I would expect his participation to be about 50% of the offensive plays this first week back. The offense will go from having no threat to the biggest in the middle of the field. Should be fun.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Did you hear those screams?

The moans were JEST Nation hearing the news.

The screams of ecstasy were fantasy football owners squeeing.

 

[Kontradiction]

Good thing we didn't cut him :bricks:

Welcome back, you big oaf! You were missed.

 

[dannydyn]

I’ll be happy if he’s just present on the field, with zero passes thrown at him. His presence alone is enough to draw double-coverage and attending in the middle, to free up the outsides.

 

[102 Pat]

First offensive play should be a pass to him, get the Jets guessing as to how he will be utilized

 

[West Philly Patriot]

Did you hear those screams?

The moans were JEST Nation hearing the news.

The screams of ecstasy were fantasy football owners squeeing.

I have Gronk in 2 money leagues and I could care less if he is back as long as he's healthy and good for the real season.

Pats fan 1st and foremost.

 

[captain insano]

fingers crossed he doesn't get hurt again.

 

[juny]

hopefully he looks more confident on the field than the time he came back from the first arm break where he played one armed for most of the game.

looking forward to the offense taking a HUGE step forward

 

[patfanken]

Obviously this is great news, and it couldn't have come at a better time. But while it will clearly improve the offense, I think we are all being a little too optimistic about how much of an impact Gronk's return is going to have.

I think he its still going to take another 3-4 weeks before we see the vintage Gronk out on the field (after the bye) In the meantime, his impact will most initially be felt in the running game and as a threat that defenses will overreact to.

Right now I'd be thrilled to see the Pats come out the bye with a 7-2/6-3 record, but more importantly with a healthy Amendola, a healthy Talib, a healthy Kelly, and a Gronk playing up to his massive potential; all ready for a strong stretch run into the playoffs

 

[Harrisoned!]

IMHO, Gronk has four roles, listed in priority order. I don't know how much Gronk will play this week, but I expect that he will not play his usual 90+% of the time.

1) red zone threat

2) run blocker

3) slot receiver

4) downfield receiver

The area of his game that is most likely to be impacted by his time away and inability to put all his playing weight back on is his run blocking. If anything, I think we might see him split out in the slot a bit more than we're used to, or at least used more in that Hernandez "move" tight end more, with Hooman as the blocker.

 

[dannydyn]

Obviously this is great news, and it couldn't have come at a better time. But while it will clearly improve the offense, I think we are all being a little too optimistic about how much of an impact Gronk's return is going to have.

I think he its still going to take another 3-4 weeks before we see the vintage Gronk out on the field (after the bye) In the meantime, his impact will most initially be felt in the running game and as a threat that defenses will overreact to.

Right now I'd be thrilled to see the Pats come out the bye with a 7-2/6-3 record, but more importantly with a healthy Amendola, a healthy Talib, a healthy Kelly, and a Gronk playing up to his massive potential; all ready for a strong stretch run into the playoffs

Gronk alone (even without a single catch) will draw attention from the opposition's defense, which is more than enough for our rookies to get a bit more freedome.

 

[dannydyn]

 

[Kontradiction]

hopefully he looks more confident on the field than the time he came back from the first arm break where he played one armed for most of the game.

looking forward to the offense taking a HUGE step forward

He should have been pulled from that game immediately. If Gill and the team were going to rush him back and take a chance with the arm, it should have been the Ravens game. And I'm not even saying that with 20/20 hindsight. We didn't need him to beat Miami or Houston.

 

[Fixit]

Ray Ray says it's because the Jets are in BB's head.

Not, he actually said that.

 

[PATRlOT]

Can't wait for Vereen back as well