Remember in 2012, when we locked up Gronk (6 years) and Aaron Hernandez (7 years) long-term and were gonna dominate for years to come (which we’ve done anyway)? Well, I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I think what the Pats have going this year is the next best thing.
There’s no dispute that Rob Gronkowski is the best tight end in the NFL. If you dispute that, you’re a moron. He’s 32nd in the league in receiving yards (4th among TEs) and he essentially missed just as many games as Brady. He’s tied for 6th with 12 catches of 20+ yards, too. The real argument is if he’s the best TE of all time, but it’s much too early for that. People forget that Gronk is only 27. He’s gonna be doing this for a while provided he can stay healthy. And speaking of that; what about when he’s not healthy? He’s had concussion problems, issues with his back and his neck, and he’ll likely miss at least this week’s game with a perforated lung. So what’re we stuck with when he’s out? Oh, only the guy who’s 39th in the league (5th among TEs) in receiving yards. Hmm.
Yep, we all knew Marty B could be great after finally getting away from that dumpster fire we call the Chicago Bears, but I don’t think even the most optimistic Pats fan knew he’d be this good. In the first 4 games that Gronk was either out or still obviously not anywhere near 100%, Bennett had 15 catches for 247 yards and a score, and he was huge in helping out the young, unexperienced QBs that New England was forced to deploy with TB12 out (btw, that foot locker ad is AMAZING. Had to mention it. Guy’s the GOAT in football and acting? No wonder Goodell hates him). He’s a big target with great hands and can do some great things in the open field. Quick for his size, breaks tackles, and he fits right in with the “we’re good and don’t give a shit what you think about us” thing New England’s got going on. He’s kind of a weird guy, but hey, so’s Bill. Perfect fit.
So how long can this go on? That’s up to Bennett and the Pats. He becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season, and I’m sure there are a handful of teams that will offer some good money for his services. But if he continues playing this well and the Pats have a good deal of success because of it, you gotta think both parties will want him to stick around, right? This is exactly what they wanted with Gronk and Hernandez. Athletic, big guys who can line up on either side of the line and be the toughest people on the planet to cover. Guys that’ll run a 3-yard out or a skinny post for a 60 yard TD. Plus they can both run block? Gimme a break.
No matter what happens, I always have been and always will be a #InBillWeTrust guy, but I’ll trust it a lot more if we lock this guy for at least the remainder of Gronk’s contract. These two together are goofy and interesting and, on top of that, they’re looking like they’ll snag a championship or two together. The Boston TE Party is back.
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