It's time for the Patriots to trade Rob Gronkowski
He's the life of the party inside the Foxborough Fortress, a lovable lunkhead and unstoppable force on fall Sundays, but it's time to stop the music: Rob Gronkowski must go.
Bill Belichick hasn't been at the NFL mountaintop for the better part of two decades by being warm and fuzzy. Nobody embodies this cut-throat, bottom-line business like the ruthless leader of the Evil Empire, who has treated his gladiators like interchangeable pieces (with one notable cleft-chinned, square-jawed exception).
The Patriots have made an NFL-high 62 trades (outside of draft day) since Tom Brady became the starter in 2001, including eight since the beginning of last offseason, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Belichick traded Deion Branch two years after the wide receiver won the Super Bowl MVP. He dealt six-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Logan Mankins. He jettisoned Pro Bowl pass rusher Chandler Jones before this season and Pro Bowl linebacker Jamie Collins before the trade deadline.
The assembly line stops for no man other than Brady.
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Gronk is goofy. Gronk is outrageous. Gronk once posed shirtless in his home with a porn star (she swears nothing happened). The Pro Bowl Patriots tight end will be a first-ballot inductee into the Dude Hall of Fame one day. He's impossible not to like, but he's turned into the most unreliable great player of the Belichick Era.
(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
For all of Gronkowski's dominance, the Patriots, on the cusp of a fifth Lombardi trophy, have proven that they simply don't need him anymore no matter what happens on Super Sunday against the Falcons.
Belichick has adapted to life without the All-Pro in the second half of this season like he has adapted to virtually every obstacle in his way over the past 17 years.
Tom Brady has excelled with and without his top offensive weapon this season, prompting forward-thinking folks to wonder whether New England can parlay this injury-riddled talent into draft-pick compensation to replenish its roster.
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Gronkowski has three manageable years remaining on his contract (with cap hits of $7 million, $11 million and $12 million from 2017-19), so interested teams won't have to break the bank to land the game-breaker.
(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Gronkowski might be on a Hall of Fame track, but he’s only played two 16-game seasons in his seven years in the league. He’s missed 23 regular-season games — or 20 percent — due to injury. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve in December after undergoing his third back surgery.
The 6-6, 265-pound machine has plenty of faulty circuitry. Gronkowski has undergone surgeries for his ankle (one), forearm (three or four, depending on who you believe) and knee (one) in addition to his back problems. He's also missed time with hamstring woes.
He is a soon-to-be 28-year-old with the mileage of a 38-year-old. His body is crumbling.
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Belichick might not win the popular vote (that seems to matter less and less these days anyway), but he'd be wise to trade Gronkowski this offseason while he can still get quality compensation for him. One more significant injury — and you know it's bound to happen — will kill the brittle tight end's value. The first order of business will be to re-sign impending free-agent tight end Martellus Bennett after the season.
Martellus Bennett isn’t the game-breaking threat that Rob Gronkowski is, but he has shown the ability to be the do-it-all player the Patriots covet.
(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Brady completed 73 percent of his passes with 12 touchdowns and one interception in winning four of five games with Gronkowski this season. Although the quarterback's completion percentage and passing yards per game dipped without Gronkowski, his numbers weren't exactly shabby. Brady has a 64 percent completion rate with 21 touchdowns and only three interceptions with a 9-0 record without the Patriots' top pass catching threat (including a Week 12 win over the Jets in which Gronkowski only played seven snaps and didn't catch a pass).
Translation: The Evil Empire will continue to rule the NFL universe without its frat-boy tight end.
The Patriots have morphed into a three-receiver offense without Gronkowski, who averaged a ridiculous 21.6 yards per reception before getting hurt. Brady has predictably elevated the level of a supporting cast that won't frighten anyone on paper. The Patriots, of course, have defied paper logic for the better part of the Belichick-Brady era.
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Brady targeted Gronkowski on 20 percent of his passes this year. The future Hall of Fame signal caller has increased his targets to Julian Edelman (32 percent) in the tight end's absence. Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, James White, Dion Lewis and Bennett all average between 10 and 12 percent of the targets per game.
Adapt, adust, change. It's the Patriot Way.
It was fun while it lasted, but the party should be over for Gronk.
Tags:
bill belichick
He's the life of the party inside the Foxborough Fortress, a lovable lunkhead and unstoppable force on fall Sundays, but it's time to stop the music: Rob Gronkowski must go.
Bill Belichick hasn't been at the NFL mountaintop for the better part of two decades by being warm and fuzzy. Nobody embodies this cut-throat, bottom-line business like the ruthless leader of the Evil Empire, who has treated his gladiators like interchangeable pieces (with one notable cleft-chinned, square-jawed exception).
The Patriots have made an NFL-high 62 trades (outside of draft day) since Tom Brady became the starter in 2001, including eight since the beginning of last offseason, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Belichick traded Deion Branch two years after the wide receiver won the Super Bowl MVP. He dealt six-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Logan Mankins. He jettisoned Pro Bowl pass rusher Chandler Jones before this season and Pro Bowl linebacker Jamie Collins before the trade deadline.
The assembly line stops for no man other than Brady.
Bill Belichick gives sports agents ultimatums in free agency
Gronk is goofy. Gronk is outrageous. Gronk once posed shirtless in his home with a porn star (she swears nothing happened). The Pro Bowl Patriots tight end will be a first-ballot inductee into the Dude Hall of Fame one day. He's impossible not to like, but he's turned into the most unreliable great player of the Belichick Era.
(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
For all of Gronkowski's dominance, the Patriots, on the cusp of a fifth Lombardi trophy, have proven that they simply don't need him anymore no matter what happens on Super Sunday against the Falcons.
Belichick has adapted to life without the All-Pro in the second half of this season like he has adapted to virtually every obstacle in his way over the past 17 years.
Tom Brady has excelled with and without his top offensive weapon this season, prompting forward-thinking folks to wonder whether New England can parlay this injury-riddled talent into draft-pick compensation to replenish its roster.
Brady pays tribute to Belichick on coach's anniversary with Pats
Gronkowski has three manageable years remaining on his contract (with cap hits of $7 million, $11 million and $12 million from 2017-19), so interested teams won't have to break the bank to land the game-breaker.
(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Gronkowski might be on a Hall of Fame track, but he’s only played two 16-game seasons in his seven years in the league. He’s missed 23 regular-season games — or 20 percent — due to injury. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve in December after undergoing his third back surgery.
The 6-6, 265-pound machine has plenty of faulty circuitry. Gronkowski has undergone surgeries for his ankle (one), forearm (three or four, depending on who you believe) and knee (one) in addition to his back problems. He's also missed time with hamstring woes.
He is a soon-to-be 28-year-old with the mileage of a 38-year-old. His body is crumbling.
Patriots trio defies NFL stereotypes while fueling Super Bowl run
Belichick might not win the popular vote (that seems to matter less and less these days anyway), but he'd be wise to trade Gronkowski this offseason while he can still get quality compensation for him. One more significant injury — and you know it's bound to happen — will kill the brittle tight end's value. The first order of business will be to re-sign impending free-agent tight end Martellus Bennett after the season.
Martellus Bennett isn’t the game-breaking threat that Rob Gronkowski is, but he has shown the ability to be the do-it-all player the Patriots covet.
(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Brady completed 73 percent of his passes with 12 touchdowns and one interception in winning four of five games with Gronkowski this season. Although the quarterback's completion percentage and passing yards per game dipped without Gronkowski, his numbers weren't exactly shabby. Brady has a 64 percent completion rate with 21 touchdowns and only three interceptions with a 9-0 record without the Patriots' top pass catching threat (including a Week 12 win over the Jets in which Gronkowski only played seven snaps and didn't catch a pass).
Translation: The Evil Empire will continue to rule the NFL universe without its frat-boy tight end.
The Patriots have morphed into a three-receiver offense without Gronkowski, who averaged a ridiculous 21.6 yards per reception before getting hurt. Brady has predictably elevated the level of a supporting cast that won't frighten anyone on paper. The Patriots, of course, have defied paper logic for the better part of the Belichick-Brady era.
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Brady targeted Gronkowski on 20 percent of his passes this year. The future Hall of Fame signal caller has increased his targets to Julian Edelman (32 percent) in the tight end's absence. Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, James White, Dion Lewis and Bennett all average between 10 and 12 percent of the targets per game.
Adapt, adust, change. It's the Patriot Way.
It was fun while it lasted, but the party should be over for Gronk.
Tags:
bill belichick
