Though there are doubts in Tampa Bay Buccaneers circles heading into the season, there is reason to believe that Rob Gronkowski can return to form.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers went out on a serious limb earlier last month when they elected to trade away a draft pick for TE Rob Gronkowski and a seventh-round pick from the New England Patriots.
Gronkowski, who was still under a $10 million deal for one year with the Patriots, had decided to retire following the 2018 season and has now been out of football for one year.
When his former teammate Tom Brady elected to leave New England and signed with the Buccaneers, rumors began to swirl about the viability of Gronkowski coming out of retirement to play with his friend. That’s exactly what’s going to happen, in the end.
Though there are questions about the 31-year-old veteran and his ability after a year off from football, here are few things to consider for why he can return to form and make a legitimate impact in the Buccaneers’ quest for a Super Bowl during the 2020 season.
- He has chemistry on his side…
Gronkowski already has a hand-up on the rest of the receiving talent because of the fact that he has played with Tom Brady for so many years. Gronkowski has chemistry with Brady and that’s going to pay off.
- He’s had a year off from football…
Most people look at this as a negative, but there’s actually a positive aspect here. Gronkowski had been worn down over the course of his career with the Patriots. He had been asked to do so much and it was clear that the physicality of the game had gotten to him when he elected to retire.
Gronk has now had a year off to recover.
We’re not talking about several years to get squarely out of football shape. No, we’re talking about a year where he’s been able to rehab and still workout.
- The coaches have a plan for him…
Bruce Arians didn’t just bring Gronkowski into the franchise without heavily considering it. It’s clear that the Buccaneers have a plan to use him and believe they can utilize his skill set.
That tells me we’re going to see the tight end position utilized much more than in the past and there will be a specific plan to get Gronkowski involved.
- It’s more than just on-the-field production…
The last thing that Buccaneers fans should realize is that Gronkowski is being brought in for much more than just his ability to make an impact on-the-field.
Could he be the mentor that O.J. Howard is desperately in need of? Could Gronkowski help become another coach for the Bucs and take those young tight ends to the next level? It’s certainly conceivable.
The Pewter Plank is a Tampa Bay Buccaneers-centered website that provides coverage as part of the FanSided network.