Rob Gronkowski reclaims his spot as one of the most electrifying and dangerous tight ends in all of football every time he steps on the field.
The problem?
Gronk hasn’t stepped on the field recently.
Since registering an impressive 16 catches over the first three games of the season, the 11-year veteran has played just six snaps for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In that game (a 36-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints), Gronkowski lasted just two offensive drives before having to leave the game due to back pain.
In addition to the 16 catches, Gronkowski has four touchdown catches as well– courtesy of back-to-back multi-TD games versus the Cowboys and Falcons to start the year. Those 4 TDs are tied for second on the Bucs, despite Gronk only playing 159 snaps on the season (7th in snaps played among TB WR/TE). His placement on the team touchdown leaderboard highlights perhaps the largest thing Tampa Bay has been missing…
Red Zone Explosiveness and Versatility
While picking up tight end duty with Gronkowski injured, Cameron Brate and OJ Howard have combined to play 569 snaps on the season. In those 569 snaps, they have accounted for a combined 27 catches for 257 yards and 2 touchdowns. While it would be unfair to expect Gronk-like production from this duo, their shortcomings have been especially apparent in the redzone. Although the pair has combined for 6 catches on 12 targets–to go along with just the two touchdowns. For comparisons sake, Gronkowski has scored a TD on all 4 of his redzone receptions (7 targets).
Neither Howard nor Brate are as successful as Gronkowski at exploding off his block release and finding a straight line to the endzone. As a result of this missing piece from the offense, Tampa Bay has had to rely more on more predictable RB screens. While he has continued to be a reliable red-zone target, recent weeks have shown that defenses are able to pay a little extra attention to Evans in the redzone without Gronkowski acting as a threat over the middle.
If Gronkowski is able to return from injury this week, the Buccaneers redzone offense should benefit greatly. Currently, their 82.8% RZ scoring percentage ranks just 22nd in the NFL. The return of the man that scored 4-of-the-first-6 Buccaneers touchdowns in 2021 will certainly be a boost to that. It isn’t just the redzone where Gronk’s presence has been sorely missed, however. The offense also benefits in the form of…
Keeping Linebackers Honest and Freeing Up Space For Backfield Receivers
NFL defenses take notice of Rob Gronkowski when he comes across the middle of the field. Linebackers have to stay on their toes to ensure that Gronk doesn’t get behind them. That slight defensive wariness can sometimes be a huge difference maker during the game. Two players that will benefit greatly from Gronk’s return are running backs Leonard Fournette and Gio Bernard. Both backs have shown explosiveness catching the ball out of the backfield in 2021. With Gronk back, the linebackers won’t be able to pay as much attention to late-developing passes to the flat. This should, in theory, lead to a lot more open spaces and big plays.
Opposing defenses may also be more hesitant to blitz with the Buccaneers offense at full strength. The threat of Cameron Brate making a defense pay for sending an extra rusher is much different than the threat of Gronk making a big play with the extra room allowed to him. Throughout his career and time with Tampa Bay, Tom Brady has shown he will be successful if he is given time to throw. Anything the Bucs can do to buy Brady more time should be embraced and appreciated–and Gronk’s return should do just that.
That isn’t to downplay the importance of Brate and Howard in the offense moving forward. The Buccaneers are likely to be cautious with Gronkowski’s snap counts moving forward. The team certainly wants him healthy for the playoffs, and overworking him as he returns from both rib and back ailments could be disastrous. There is plenty of work for multiple-TE sets in Tampa’s offense. Just as Gronk’s return should boost countless skill players on the offense, Howard and Brate are no exception. With defenses forced to gameplan for Gronk as a receiver, the likelihood one of them can free themselves up has definitely improved.
It isn’t only Gronk’s play on the field that has been missed, but also…
Gronk’s Energy and Presence as a Sparkplug, Symbol, and Walking Meme Potential
I am a firm believer that the NFL is more enjoyable with Rob Gronkowski in the league. Everything about the man, whether it is over the top or not, is pure entertainment. On and off the field, Gronk has been worth watching throughout his career, and it is no different now. From highlight plays to high-class parties, and from monster receptions to Monster energy, #87 is always worth keeping an eye on.
This season has been no different. In the first three games of the season, the Bucs offense averaged 34.3 PPG and looked slightly more consistent–with Gronk was an integral part of that. The team is better with him on the field, Tom Brady is happier with him on the field, and Bucs fans should like when Tom Brady is happy.
With Antonio Brown’s name being floated around and tied up in distractions off the field, it will be refreshing to be pleasantly distracted by Gronkowski’s activities on the field and the sideline. Gronk is usually one of the loudest “ooooooohhhhhhh”s after a big hit, and he has been known to slap a mean bottom after a big catch by his teammates. Both of those are unspoken, underrated veteran moves that make the team better in the long run.
It might be foolish to do since he is coming off a back injury, but you have to assume that Rob Gronkowski is going to try to put the team on his back and bring this offense back to the level of firepower it is capable of when all the pieces are working correctly–and I think every football fan is better off with him back on the field.