Former Dolphins, Jets Exec. Explains How Bucs Will Get 'Quality' Production from Gronk

At the stage of Gronk's career it's about quality, not quantity.

One of the more intriguing storylines that will take place in Florida this year is how former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski fares after taking a year off from football and is now on a new team. 

While there is plenty of belief that Gronk will come back to the football field and struggle because of his age/time away from football, one former NFL general manager explained on ESPN's "Get Up!" what the Buccaneers will get from the 31-year-old tight end. 

“It’s not going to be quantity, it’s going to be quality,” former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said.  “Nothing is more frustrating than hearing all week, ‘Gronk in the red zone, Gronk in the red zone, we’re going to double team him,’ and then he still scores a touchdown.

“I don’t think he’ll play as much (as he used to), but he’ll be there for the impactful plays. The other thing to remember is he’ll create production for others because he will at least get double teamed. So when we hear about (wide receivers) Mike Evans and Chris Godwin having incredible production, that goes back to Rob Gronkowski. He’s going to be impactful. It just might not be on the stat sheet.”

In other words, his usage on the field will be similar to what we saw from Gronkowski in 2018, which was his final season in New England. In 11 games played Gronkowski caught 47 passes for 682 yards and three touchdowns, which are the lowest totals he's had in any season in which he has played in 10+ regular season games, aside from his rookie year. However, his usage in the run game had a significant impact on the team's Super Bowl run that year, as the combination of Gronkowski, a stacked backfield led by Sony Michel, and a top 5 offensive line in the NFL pushed them all the way to the team's sixth championship. 

If that's the Gronk that Tampa Bay is getting, then that's all they need. With Brady at quarterback, several capable running backs, elite pass-catchers, tight end depth, and an improving offensive line, all head coach Bruce Arians will need from Gronkowski is a play or two a game along with some strong blocking each game. If that's what they get from the former Patriot, then they are quickly on their way to being one of the top offenses in the NFL.