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Whatever at TE, big at receiver: Does Pats' post-Gronk plan make sense?
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Whatever at TE, big at receiver: Does Pats' post-Gronk plan make sense?

The star power needed in the Patriots' passing game around Tom Brady has always been an intriguing dynamic.

The team thrived with Randy Moss, one of the greatest receivers of all time, though a championship eluded the Pats during his stay. There have been years like 2006, when the Patriots were content to have their receiving corps led by little-known Reche Caldwell, and that lack of talent came back to bite them at the least opportune time.

New England has had many blessings in the Brady/Belichick era, and in recent years, few were more evident than Rob Gronkowski. While his career ended up being perhaps shorter than it could have been, and he missed more than his share of stretches because of  injury, when he was on the field, Gronk was the greatest receiving tight end we’ve seen. He averaged more yards per target than any player since the stat was first tracked in 1992, more than celebrated field-stretching receivers like Julio Jones. Brady throwing to Gronk resulted in the highest passer rating of any QB-receiver tandem of the past 14 years. According to Pro Football Focus, Gronk had the most wins above replacement of any tight end since 2006. Yes, more than recently inducted Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez.

The Pats have had success dealing with Gronk’s absence since he joined the team -- it’s worth noting that their legendary Super Bowl comeback against the Falcons occurred without him. Still, overall, Brady’s stats have taken a pronounced dip without Gronk in the lineup since 2010.

Since Gronk’s retirement in the off-season, the Patriots have displayed little urgency trying to replace him. In some ways, that’s the mark of a disciplined team. Reaching for a tight end in the draft with the assumption that there will be an all-time talent is a risky proposition bordering on recklessness.

Instead, the Pats have brought on a slew of potentially solid, if unspectacular, options and appear intent to throw them against the wall to see what sticks. Besides Gronk, all the tight ends from last season who played are gone. A month ago, New England signed Austin Seferian-Jenkins, a second-round pick of the Bucs in 2014 who has had marginal production during his four seasons in the league. A few days ago, they brought back Benjamin Watson, a solid pass-catching tight end the Pats drafted in 2004 who has bounced around three other franchises since leaving New England after the 2009 season.

Watson has always been a reliable receiving option and has put together a few statistically impressive seasons. But he’s also 38 years old. Clearly 41-year-old Brady is stretching the bounds of player longevity, but it’s hard to see a player who takes far more contact suddenly have a breakout season just before turning 40.

In March, after the Pats pulled off a trade for defensive end Michael Bennett, there was a brief swirl of rumors that his brother, former Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett, would come out of retirement to make them teammates for the first time in their career. Six years younger than Watson with the added pedigree of a Pro Bowl appearance, Bennett likely would have been a slight upgrade over what they have now.

If the Patriots don’t appear to have a clear plan at tight end, it does seem like they are turning to wideout to replicate some of the instances where Gronk could be a mismatch nightmare for defenses. Whereas the Patriots have been synonymous in recent years with diminutive slot receivers -- think Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola Wes Welker --  they’re finally going after taller receivers this off-season.

This year, for the first time in the Belichick era, the Patriots took a wide receiver in the first round of the draft, selecting Arizona State’s K’Neal Harry with the 32nd pick. Drafting receivers in the third round or higher has been one of Belichick’s few weak spots in roster building, but Harry is at least an interesting option. At 6-foot-2, he has better-than-average size, and is known for his ball skills.

In free agency, New England recently signed 6-3 Dontrelle Inman. The Patriots also picked up 6-3 Demaryius Thomas, who is coming off an Achilles tear but did have massive success in Denver. The Patriots retained Josh Gordon, in somewhat of a surprise, as the 6-3 receiver remains indefinitely suspended by the NFL, and it’s unclear how much he’ll be available, if at all, in 2019. All told, the Patriots now have seven receivers on their roster at 6-2 or taller.

Beyond the ability to get jump balls, there is likely a strategy to going big at receiver that translates to New England’s other current offensive strength: blocking for the running game. The Patriots have an exceedingly skilled backfield, one they parlayed to considerable gain late last season. Following December losses to the Dolphins and Steelers, the Patriots redoubled their commitment to the run and didn’t lose again en route to a championship. From Week 16 through the Super Bowl, the Pats averaged 177.8 rushing yards a game, a big uptick over the 115.2 rushing yards they averaged over the first eight games of the regular season.

Belichick has always been willing to buck trends in the NFL. Going hard for the running game, and passing out of the backfield, while the rest of the league goes nuts for wide-open pass attacks, is quite a gambit. Bold though it may be, few won’t give Belichick the benefit of the doubt.

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