Gronk to TB (Tom Brady): A Gronking to Remember

Shelterdog

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Gronk was the greatest TE I've ever seen but I think there's also a real question about how good he is now with a non Brady QB. Maybe the year off helped him but he was one hurting puppy in 2018.
 

Captaincoop

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He was already not the huge matchup problem he was earlier in his career by 2018. Losing all the weight and not being a huge blocking concern for the defense makes him even less of an issue.

I'll take the 4th and be happy.
 

TheRooster

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Gronk's first three games will be decent as he shakes off the rust; his next three will be awesome as his size/hands/talent take over; and then reality will strike and injuries or atrophy will "get" him.
 

RedOctober3829

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He was already not the huge matchup problem he was earlier in his career by 2018. Losing all the weight and not being a huge blocking concern for the defense makes him even less of an issue.

I'll take the 4th and be happy.
Playing devil's advocate, if he doesn't bulk up to where he was before he could be flexed out more and take advantage of his size and speed. I wouldn't discount him having a really good season especially given the other WR's he's surrounded with. He's not getting doubled much with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin on the field.
 

Granite Sox

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Tampa’s offense will be interesting to watch. With an abbreviated preseason, it’s hard to see how TB12 develops strong “trust” with Godwin and Evans, especially when Godwin has already gone on record saying he wasn’t always in the right spots last year. Brady will lock in on Gronk. I think this will lead to heavy physical attrition for Gronk, particularly early in the year, unless Arians goes to a 2-TE approach. This might lessen the wear and tear on Gronk, but also lessen the effectiveness of the two outside receivers. First-world problems, for sure, but still interesting to see play out.
 

BornToRun

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Well this feels weird. I’m glad Gronk feels like he’s in a healthy enough place that he wants to play again. I’d have preferred he suit up for the Pats, of course, but it’ll be fun to watch the 12 to 87 connection again. Go get ‘em, guys.
 

Marciano490

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This feels like having two respectful and loving breakups you felt okay about, and then your ex’s started dating each other and now you’re feeling kinda not so great about it.
 

Ferm Sheller

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This feels like having two respectful and loving breakups you felt okay about, and then your ex’s started dating each other and now you’re feeling kinda not so great about it.
Except neither one can bang like they used to, so it's not so bad.
 

djbayko

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This is beyond weird. I love TB12 and Gronk as New England Patriots. EFF them both as Buccaneers.
Yeah, this is where I am. Tom happened as COVID-19 was taking over the world so it was easy to dismiss. Gronk is reopening the wound, and I have more time to be pissed off. A miserable season for that team would not upset me at all.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know what Brady did for us. That's in the past. I can't help the way I feel now.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Yeah, this is where I am. Tom happened as COVID-19 was taking over the world so it was easy to dismiss. Gronk is reopening the wound, and I have more time to be pissed off. A miserable season for that team would not upset me at all.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know what Brady did for us. That's in the past. I can't help the way I feel now.
I've felt that way even before Gronk went to TB and now it's just plain worse. The argument about what TB did for us is an intellectual one and this is more of an emotional response. I just can't see myself watching TB next year and being happy if Tom looks great.

The problem here is that I think Gronk will be very good if he can stay on the field. And no matter how badly I would like to see Tampa Bay fail now, there is no way I root for Gronk injury.
 

mwonow

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I don't know if a lighter Gronk has the same ability to bounce off hits from safeties/LBs. If he gets banged up, I'll be sad more than surprised.
 

Pandemonium67

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I wish both TB and Gronk nothing but the best, but I just don't think they both make it through a full season unscathed. Maybe a shortened season will help them stay healthy.

Weirdly -- and I never imagined feeling this way -- I'm excited to see TB play, just as I'm excited to see how the post-TB Pats do.
 

steveluck7

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I don't know if a lighter Gronk has the same ability to bounce off hits from safeties/LBs. If he gets banged up, I'll be sad more than surprised.
Just had this same thought. The combination of size and speed was what made him truly amazing. Too fast for most LB to cover; too big for most DB to cover. If you take a chunk out of the size, he becomes less of a matchup problem.
 

BaseballJones

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Just had this same thought. The combination of size and speed was what made him truly amazing. Too fast for most LB to cover; too big for most DB to cover. If you take a chunk out of the size, he becomes less of a matchup problem.
So then he just becomes a bigger version of Jimmy Graham, which is still pretty damned good.
 

NomarsFool

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I'm happy for another 4th. I feel like the Pats have a good chance for some major retooling this year. I think BB gets a useful player (I hope he doesn't trade up - actually).
 

RedOctober3829

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Just had this same thought. The combination of size and speed was what made him truly amazing. Too fast for most LB to cover; too big for most DB to cover. If you take a chunk out of the size, he becomes less of a matchup problem.
Not sure about that. He'll still be the same height so he has that advantage. He is still ripped and will be hard to bring down especially for the smaller LB's and safeties now deployed by many teams. He'll gain some of the weight back. By looking at him recently, I think he is down 25 lbs. So instead of 6-6 265 he's 6-6 240. If he gains 15 lbs back he's still 6-6 255 that runs well.
 

BaseballJones

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Not sure about that. He'll still be the same height so he has that advantage. He is still ripped and will be hard to bring down especially for the smaller LB's and safeties now deployed by many teams. He'll gain some of the weight back. By looking at him recently, I think he is down 25 lbs. So instead of 6-6 265 he's 6-6 240. If he gains 15 lbs back he's still 6-6 255 that runs well.
And his body will be fresh from having a year of rest. He's going to be terrific, make no mistake.
 

BusRaker

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Witten came back after a year of shenanigans and basically matched his 2017 numbers. I expect the same from Gronk .. 700 yards 6 TDs, less in the blocking game though. Wondering how much Brady will force him the ball as his only familiar target but I'm probably reading too much into that. I expect the story to read "Brady and Gronk teamed up again in 2020 to try to recreate their magic, though in a different uniform. After a putting up league-average numbers, a wild-card appearance and an early exit from the playoffs, Gronk hung up the spikes for good in 2021 and Brady a year after, retiring together in week one of 2023 as members of the New England Patriots and certain first ballot HOFers. "

Or maybe that's just how I want it to read
 
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Having read various "Gronk has slimmed down and it doesn't matter because it will be fairly easy for him to put some back on if need be" reports and tweets over the last year, I don't understand why some here seem to be suggesting that he is somehow locked in at 240 or whatever. He's rejoining the league, he'll put back on the weight if that's what they want him to do. No?
 

Average Game James

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Also without a ton of double teams since those will go to Mike Evans.
Evans might be the third best receiving option on the team once Gronk is back in shape. Which is terrifying. I’d probably double Gronk or Godwin since both are less likely to drop the ball. And while he’s damn good at them, Evans really runs a more limited route tree.

My guess is Gronk is on a pretty strict pitch count through most of the season since there is no lack of receiving options on that team. Plays maybe 50% of the snaps with an emphasis on red zone and 3rd down packages. Then if the Bucs make the playoffs, training wheels come off.
 

RedOctober3829

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Evans might be the third best receiving option on the team once Gronk is back in shape. Which is terrifying. I’d probably double Gronk or Godwin since both are less likely to drop the ball. And while he’s damn good at them, Evans really runs a more limited route tree.

My guess is Gronk is on a pretty strict pitch count through most of the season since there is no lack of receiving options on that team. Plays maybe 50% of the snaps with an emphasis on red zone and 3rd down packages. Then if the Bucs make the playoffs, training wheels come off.
There will be a safety over the top on Evans' side because that's what he does well. So if you're playing double-high safeties you either double Godwin and leave Gronk 1-on-1 or double Gronk and leave Godwin 1-on-1. If you're playing single high, well you're screwed. I will predict that teams don't double Gronk early on and he'll make them pay.
 

Marciano490

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Well unless there's something we don't already know about you, you're just upset missing out on getting to watch the hot girl on girl action....
I guess the twist is I have Brady and Evans on my dynasty team, so three's a crowd here. At least in the red zone.
 

Ed Hillel

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I hate that I'm not this gracious, and generally incapable of taking the high road. We got dumped by both(feels like), I'm pissed, and hoping they don't make the playoffs................... and then when they both wrap it up down there, I'm full blown in love with them again.
You got it backwards, Belichick dumped Brady. And I’m ok with that, as well as Brady taking more and leaving for a team that wanted him more and could surround him with better talent.
 

InstaFace

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Eh. I now have a favorite NFC team to root for.
Yep, I'm with ya. I don't begrudge others their annoyance or ill wishes from feeling spurned, I get that even if I don't feel that way myself. But I do kinda want to see Brady and Gronk succeed and have fun while doing it. Least I could do, it feels like, after all they've done for us.

I hope we beat their asses senseless when we play in 2021, of course, but until then, bon voyage.
 

bibajesus

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Having read various "Gronk has slimmed down and it doesn't matter because it will be fairly easy for him to put some back on if need be" reports and tweets over the last year, I don't understand why some here seem to be suggesting that he is somehow locked in at 240 or whatever. He's rejoining the league, he'll put back on the weight if that's what they want him to do. No?
Plus there probably isn't proper drug testing going on right now.
 

Shelterdog

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Not sure about that. He'll still be the same height so he has that advantage. He is still ripped and will be hard to bring down especially for the smaller LB's and safeties now deployed by many teams. He'll gain some of the weight back. By looking at him recently, I think he is down 25 lbs. So instead of 6-6 265 he's 6-6 240. If he gains 15 lbs back he's still 6-6 255 that runs well.
It’s the runs well that I’m not so sure about. He’s older, has a bad back, didn’t run as well in 2018 as he had in the past. Image is a great equalizer.
 

lexrageorge

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Gronk's first three games will be decent as he shakes off the rust; his next three will be awesome as his size/hands/talent take over; and then reality will strike and injuries or atrophy will "get" him.
The other reality is that those 6 games could be the duration of the NFL regular season.

Gronk will show flashes of prime GRONK!! But they will be just that - flashes.
 

Old Fart Tree

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I wish both TB and Gronk nothing but the best, but I just don't think they both make it through a full season unscathed. Maybe a shortened season will help them stay healthy.

Weirdly -- and I never imagined feeling this way -- I'm excited to see TB play, just as I'm excited to see how the post-TB Pats do.
That’s where I am. I hope they have a great season and win their conference. I just hope the pats win it all.