Tag Archives: #Brady

Alex Guerrero Back on Board

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ALEX GUERRERO BACK IN BILL’S CIRCLE OF TRUST?

Alex Guerrero has boarded the Patriot’s plane for the team’s first road game to Carolina. This is quite a change from last year, which begs the question-what happened to allow Alex back in the mix?

Alex Guerrero on the sideline

Alex Guerrero looks on from the sideline, Courtesy of The Boston Globe

Last year, Alex Guerrero became a distraction in the Patriot’s locker room. He started to undermind the trainers and team physicians.

 Guerrero was telling players that lifting weights and doing squats were a waste of time. He often spoke against the way the team’s trainers were handling and preventing injuries. Bill Belichick had seen enough, leading to Guerrero losing access to the locker room.

ALEX GUERRERO BACK IS A GOOD SIGN

Courtesy of (Damian Strohmeyer via AP)

After Alex Guerrero lost his locker room and sideline access in 2017, Brady made it clear he wasn’t happy. This summer he’s been around the building and at training camp much more. He is working his way back into the mix slowly but surely.

Brady’s contract was made out to be a huge issue for a number of reasons. The glaring focal point was the incentives. As Pats fans know, Tom has never stressed the money. He wants respect, appreciation and Alex Guerrero.

Tom knows that being the top paid QB won’t help his chances at a sixth ring. He does however know that Alex has helped keep him at the top of his game. I believe that Kraft, Belichick, and Brady worked Guerrero into his new contract.

Guerrero flew with the team to Carolina, but don’t expect to see him on the sidelines tomorrow. Bill’s taking baby steps.

 

Brady Breaking Records: 2018 Edition

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In what is becoming one of my favorite training camp rituals, I am checking out what records the New England Patriots quarterbacking legend, Tom Brady can break in the upcoming season. And let me tell you they are dwindling fast. It is refreshing to take a moment and look at all he has accomplished and the few things he has yet to do in order to prepare myself for those inevitable “Tom Brady is not the greatest quarterback ever” arguments I’ll find myself in.

 

While he won’t break some of Favre’s more dubious records like most interceptions thrown and only has an outside chance at some of his longevity records. He will probably lose out to the younger Brees on the pure volume statistics when they both decide to retire. He owns virtually every quality and frequency record for the postseason and Super Bowl already.

 

Without further ado, let’s get into some milestones that we hope Tom Terrific jumps over this season.

Career Passing Touchdowns (including postseason)

 

Peyton Manning sits at the top with 579. Who is nipping right at his heels? Tom Brady, 559, thank you very much. So a mere 20 touchdown passes from the best quarterback in the game and he will have thrown more touchdowns than any other quarterback ever. Let that sink in. A sixth round pick that’s had to fight for everything he’s had in the game will now be sitting at the very top. He is a little further away from the regular season record and he’s currently tied with Drew Brees at 488. Peyton Manning’s mark is 539 so the likelihood of Brady passing for 51 touchdowns to tie and pass Brees are much slimmer.

 

Career Passing Yards (including postseason)

 

Brady just needs less than 3000 yards to break Manning’s record of 79,279 total career passing yards. And Tom Brady could be playing for several more years!! This will be a mark that may be unbreakable. Brees will pass Manning for regular season yards thrown this season and Brady doesn’t have a shot at passing them both this year. He will join the 70,000 regular season yards club this season as the fourth member.

 

Pro Bowl Selections

 

For as meaningless as playing in the  NFL’s All-Star Game is the selections are a good indicator of ability and popularity. If and when he gets his 14th selection he will move into a logjam with Manning, Merlin Olsen, Bruce Matthews, and Tony Gonzalez. Put that one down for the 2019 season for him to break.

Bonus: How many of those 13 Pro Bowls did Brady actually play in? Just twice!!

 

Fourth Quarter Comebacks and Game Winning Drives

 

Peyton Manning:

45 Fourth Quarter Comebacks,

56 Game-Winning Drives

 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/comeback.cgi?player=MannPe00

 

Tom Brady:

42 Fourth Quarter Comebacks,

53 Game-Winning Drives

 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/comeback.cgi?player=BradTo00

 

This is is from Pro Football Reference. And it is a little tricky to nail down the exact number. But Tom Brady is close. Within two or three of each and he should have a chance at passing him this year or next. Listen for announcers to be using stats like these as the season moves on.

 

Here is a great Reddit thread of all the records that Brady owns currently

https://www.reddit.com/r/Patriots/comments/7qee4l/i_could_not_find_a_comprehensive_tom_brady_record/

 

I can’t wait for the 2018 NFL season. To be able to witness the quarterback of my favorite team on the cusp of breaking these records and hopefully to be able compete for another Championship. I am enjoying each and every game because we may not be getting many more if them. Go Pats!

 

All photos courtesy of Getty images unless noted otherwise.

Be sure to check out other great articles for all your favorite Boston sports teams on Bostonsportsextra.com

Follow me on Twitter @ALykins32
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Tom Brady

Tom Brady And Bill Belichick Still Share The Same Goal

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Tom Brady Is Frustrated With His Receivers

Training camp for the Patriots has been a light workload thus far. This week, Bill Belichick turned up the volume a bit and the receivers were dropping like flies. Tom Brady finished this training camp 152 of 215 (70.7 percent) with three interceptions. In 2016, Brady was 89 of 270 (70 percent) with two interceptions. One key difference- Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman manned the first-team reps last year.

Brady

Courtesy of 247 Sports

Newly-acquired receiver Eric Decker has been having a difficult time connecting with Brady. TB12 said after Tuesday’s practice: “He’s got to use his skillset, the one he’s learned and used for a long time. He knows how to get open. Now, it’s just about learning what we do and how we do it, which is always a little different from how other teams may do it. But he’s worked hard. He’s been out here every day. You can tell he’s a real pro, and hopefully, he can add something to the group.” Yesterday, Brady punted a football into the stands out of frustration.

Brady And Belichick Still Share The Same Goal

Brady and Belichick still have the same goal in mind: winning. The quarterback said in his weekly radio show on WEEI: “I think our priorities are the same that they’ve always been, and I think that’s why we get along so well. We’re here to win. It’s been a very professional environment he’s created, and I think I’m very lucky to be in that environment. I think he’s the best coach who ever coached in the NFL, and I feel very privileged to kind of be mentored by him as long as I have.”

Belichick And Brady Praise One Another

Bill Belichick also spoke highly of Brady on his weekly interview, saying, ” I have a good relationship with Tom. I have a lot of respect for Tom. We’ve won a lot of games together, and I hope we can win some more together. I know he feels the same way.”

Brady

Courtesy of Business Insider

Tom Brady also spoke about the $5 million added to his contract and was asked if he was happy with the change. He replied, “I’ve never talked about my contract, and that’s never been the top priority for me. I love being here, this community, this organization. I love winning, and I love that my family has had a home for a long time. Those have been my priorities as long as I’ve been in this game.”

Will Brady Retire At The End Of 2019?

Brady was asked if he plans on playing past 2020. His response seemed very candid: “I hope so. You gotta have goals for the long term and short term, and I have long-term goals that I set for myself that I would love to be able to accomplish. I know it’s not easy. Anyone game could be the end. At the end of the day, I think that’s what you realize as a player.”

Revis vs. Gilmore: Who was better for the Patriots?

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On July 24, 2018, Darrelle Revis officially retired as a Jet. He even posed in front of a real Revis Island at his farewell. So far, both Revis and star corner, Stephon Gilmore, played one full season for New England. So it bodes the question, with all due respect to both players, who played better for the Patriots?

Darrelle Revis stands in front of an island on his retirement day

REVIS’ 2014 STINT WITH NEW ENGLAND

On March 12, 2014, Darrelle Revis had signed one year contract worth 12 million dollars with the New England Patriots. The Pats had paired him with ex-Seahawk, Brandon Browner, in the secondary. Revis had amassed 2 interceptions, 16 passes defended, 47 tackles, and 1 forced fumble (Pro Football Reference).  He allowed 532 yards through the air against him throughout the season (NESN).

His playoff performance was outstanding. After having 2 pass interference calls defending Steve Smith, he had only allowed 1 completion in the AFC Championship and Superbowl combined. Darrelle Revis greatly contributed to New England getting their fourth ring.

See the source image

Photo Credit: Patriots Gab

GILMORE’S 2017 SEASON WITH THE PATRIOTS

 On March 9, 2017, the New England Patriots signed Stephon Gilmore to a 5-year contract worth 65 million dollars. The Gilmore/Butler duo was supposed to be one of the best in the NFL, only it didn’t turn out that way. Butler had a down year, allowing a 103.3 passer rating in coverage and earned himself an 81.0 PFF grade.

Gilmore himself had a rough start to the season, a large part due to the lack of communication. He picked his game up and really shined in the second half of the season, clearly proving himself as the best cornerback on the roster. Gilmore finished 2017 with 2 interceptions, 50 combined tackles, and 9 passes defended.

His biggest play of the season was in the AFC Championship. We all know what I’m talking about. It’s fourth down, Blake Bortles steps up in the pocket and throws it deep. Stephon Gilmore in coverage leaps up and tips it away. He sealed the deal for the Patriots and allowed them to go to their third Superbowl in four years. Unfortunately, he was basically the only bright spot on a horrendous Superbowl defense without Malcolm Butler.

See the source image

Photo Credit: Heavy.com

 

CONCLUSION

Both cornerbacks ended up being great signings for the Patriots. As of right now, Revis did play better for the Patriots. Although he had fewer tackles, he was more efficient in coverage and ended up getting a ring

Gilmore had an up-and-down year with little help from his teammates. However, he will continue his strong showings from the later part of the season, and I have a feeling this conclusion won’t remain the same next year.

Brady

What Does Tom Brady’s Latest Contract News Mean For His Future? (@steveA1127)

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Brady Gets No Years Added To Contract

With the NFL preseason getting underway tonight, the Patriots released some contract news on the 41 year old quarterback. Tom Brady’s contract was not extended past the 2019 season. Brady, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, will have “a variety of performance-based incentives to bring him closer to market.” The deal will be completed by Friday.

He’s Top Ten In Highest Paid QB’S In The League

Tom Brady, after winning the MVP last season, was scheduled to make $15 million this season, $14 million of which in base salary and another $1 million in a roster bonus. Brady will now earn an additional $5 million in 2018, making the maximum $20 million. That would put him at tenth in the league as the highest paid quarterback. Brady is now tied with Blake Bortles of Jacksonville.

Brady will not be making as much as Jimmy Garoppolo, who singed a 5 year, $137 million dollar contract with the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. With no years added past 2019, Brady will likely be retiring at the end of the 2019 season.

The Contract Is To Appease Brady

This contract had to come from the Krafts, who did this to appease Brady for just a bit longer. All of the talk of family time and skipping OTA’s this offseason was unusual for the star quarterback. Brady also has had a light training camp thus far. He has not taken a lot of reps and looks shaky, according to multiple reporters.

Brady is not expected to play when the Patriots take on the Washington Redskins tonight. For the final time, Brady will have to earn his money and show he’s still elite in the league. The talent he has is subpar, but Eric Decker has the potential to help.

Get Ready For A Danny Etling-Josh McDaniels 2020 Season

Overall, the succession plan was all set; they could’ve kept both quarterbacks. They would’ve let Brady ride off into the sunset after 2019 and had Jimmy Garoppolo and McDaniels for the next decade. Instead, that’s all wishful thinking now, as Brady is done in 2019 and handing over the reigns to Danny Etling.

A Book About Tom Brady Being Released

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A new book is coming out soon on Tom Brady. It gives an inside scoop on what really happened during the deflate-gate saga. That whole drama about the deflation of the footballs in the 2015 AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts. Tom Brady would play in the Super Bowl two weeks after that and win his fourth ring. The following season he would serve a four-game suspension. That is when we would get a first-hand look at Jimmy Garoppolo. The book, “12: The Inside Story of Tom Brady’s Fight for Redemption” by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge says Brady offered to pay a $1 million dollar fine. But Roger Goodell had other ideas.

Brady Was Offered a Deal in Deflate-Gate

The book says that Brady had to publicly throw former Patriots equipment employees John Jastremski and Jim McNally under the bus. Brady had to state that they purposely tampered with the footballs, even without his knowledge. Brady would say no and serve his four-game suspension. Robert Kraft spoke at the NFL’s owners meetings and Kraft said he would not appeal the four-game suspension handed down on Brady and the team fine. Tom Brady didn’t like that too much.

Brady Didn’t Feel like He Was Getting the Support He Needed

According to the book, Brady was devastated by Robert Kraft’s comments. Tom Brady would call DeMaurice Smith and say.”What the [expletive]?,” Why am I not getting the support I deserve on this thing?”

Smith said that the NFLPA would fight on Brady’s behalf. At this point is when the so-called “rift” started, between the team and Brady. Brady was mad that Kraft didn’t have his back during deflate-gate.

So when it came time to trade Garoppolo, that’s when Kraft stepped in and made sure he was behind Brady and not do him wrong again. Belichick traded Garoppolo for a second-round pick from the San Francisco 49ers.

Patriots Player To Watch This Season: Phillip Dorsett

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As the 2018 NFL season quickly sneaks its way upon us, there are many questions surrounding the 2018 New England Patriots and some glaring holes some see in our roster. Sure, the Patriots do play in a weak AFC East and will more than likely win the division and get a bye into the playoffs. But there is one group of guys that I think need to step it up the most. No, its not the defensive unit, even though last year they were more than suspect. This year it is the WR core who will need to step up and fill the voids left by Julian Edelman (serving a 4 game suspension for PED’s) and Brandin Cooks (traded to the Rams).

The Deepest Hole In The Roster

With the Patriots, one spot on the field that is constantly in question is defense, especially now under Coach Belichick and first year coordinator, Brian Flores. Sure, Malcolm Butler left and signed with Tennessee. But again, the position to watch on the field early on is the WR position and how some of the new faces will mesh with Tom Brady. With a banged up WR group before the season even starts, there is one name I think will play a huge role this season on the offensive side of the ball…..Phillip Dorsett.

photo credit – youtube.com

Young and Hungry

Phillip Dorsett may not be a household name yet. But this is a guy who was a late first round pick with great speed and tremendous upside coming out of The U. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to really get it going in Indianapolis, which lead to a trade to the Patriots. Dorsett ended up appearing in 15 games with the Pats in 2017 and now has a full year and offseason learning the playbook and becoming more familiar with Tom Brady and Josh McDaniels and their tendencies.

Dorsett is only 25 years old and brings a tremendous amount of talent to the table for this Patriots offense. This is a guy known for his speed, the ability to catch and hold onto the football, and also his footwork – with or without the ball. From an outsider standpoint, we should look for Dorsett to fill the void left by Brandin Cooks as a fast, deep threat down the sideline. Also look for him to get a ton of slot work early in the season, with Edelman being sidelined for 4 games.

photo credit – stampedeblue.com

Prediction

Phillip Dorsett’s career high in receptions is 33 in 2016 with the Colts. But after a full season in 2017, plus an additional off-season and training camp learning the playbook and working more closely with Brady and McDaniels, I would expect him to reach a career high in every category across the board. We can also look for Dorsett to make an impact in the kicking and punt return game.

Phillip Dorsett will be the surprise X-Factor on this Patriots offense in 2018 ….. here is my prediction for Phil:

700 yds

5 TD’s

45+ receptions

60+ Targets

Belichick: Drafting The Next Quarterback Who Will Never Start For Him

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Did Bill Belichick Draft The Next Quarterback For The Patriots?

Via The Kicker

Just like Theo Epstein in baseball, Bill Belichick could’ve been the first coach ever to draft two quarterbacks to have Hall of Fame careers. Epstein built a team with the Red Sox and won the World Series in 2004, erasing an 86 year curse. He then went to Chicago and built a World Series team there, erasing a 108-year curse. Belichick drafted Brady in 2000 and has won five Super Bowls with him. Belichick then drafted Jimmy Garoppolo and saw the same attitude Brady had when he arrived in Foxborough: the willingness to be the best he can be, no matter what. However, Brady saw that coming from a mile away and was having no part of it.

Trading away Garoppolo must have been really hard for Belichick. The head coach wanted Garoppolo to be the next starter. When he was forced to trade him, it clearly upset him to no end. Reports were that he texted Garoppolo after every win in December.  Garoppolo is who Belichick wanted to be Brady’s successor. If Tom Brady keeps winning, it helps Belichick’s legacy, but the same canbe said for Garoppolo. Even if Brady does badly, Belichick still wins because he wanted to move on from Brady in the first place. Either way, Belichick can’t lose and he’ll always win.

Belichick Thinks Garoppolo Will Have Success

People will argue that without Brady, Belichick would be nothing. However, we have to give credit where credit is due. Belichick is the one that drafted Brady and saw something in him 18 years ago. The same mentality should apply to Garoppolo. Belichick will watch Jimmy G grow as a quarterback from afar and be maybe become one of the best in the league.

Tom Brady’s drive to keep his job was a win for himself. Brady has done so much for the organization in these 18 years. It truly is amazing. However, Garoppolo will always be the quarterback Belichick wanted and will never start for him.

Patriots Training Camp Preview: Defensive Ends (@bigmike7772)

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There are many new faces on this Patriots team compared to last year. The Pats acquired four guys from trade, fifteen from free agency, and nine from the NFL Draft. They also lost nine players from trade and free agency and had three players retire.

In this new series, I will be looking at every player from each position leading up to training camp. For this part of the series, I will take a look at the defensive ends. The Pats acquired one DE via free agency and one as an undrafted rookie. The defensive end position was a concern last year due to health issues, but a lot of guys will be coming back.

Adrian Clayborn #94 (2018-Present):

Adrian Clayborn was acquired by New England this off-season during free agency. Clayborn is entering his 8th season in the NFL, and 1st for the Pats. He was drafted by Tampa Bay in the first round of the 2011 Draft and played four seasons for the Bucs. Over those four seasons, he only played in 36 games due to injuries. Clayborn was then signed by Atlanta in 2015 as an unrestricted free agent. His first two seasons in Atlanta started off slow with him only having 7.5 sacks in that span. However, his 2017 campaign proved why he was a first-round pick. He played in all 16 games that season, but only started 2. In those 16 games, Clayborn had a career high in sacks (9.5) including a game against Dallas where he had 6 sacks.

Clayborn is a welcome addition to what was a depleted front seven for the Pats last year. Adrian will look to team up with Trey Flowers and wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks. He will definitely make the team for the upcoming season.

Trey Flowers #98 (2015-Present):

Even though Flowers was drafted in 2015, he is the longest-tenured Patriot at defensive end. Flowers is now entering his 4th season for New England in 2018. Trey missed most of his rookie season after a shoulder injury placed him on injured reserve. Flowers’ 2016 season was a massive breakthrough the Pats needed for their Super Bowl run. He played in all 16 games that season and had seven sacks. His real breakout on the national level came in Super Bowl 51 against Atlanta. In that game, Flowers had 2.5 sacks and a crucial one on 2nd down to push the Falcons out of field goal range.

Flowers had another solid season in 2017 where he had 6.5 sacks. Overall, Trey is the leader of the defensive line for New England at such a young age. He can only get better and will most certainly make the team for next season.

Derek Rivers #95 (2017-Present):

Derek Rivers is entering his second season in the NFL. He was the highest draft pick for New England in 2017 as he was taken 86th overall. Rivers did not play one snap during the season though as he suffered a torn ACL. He played college football for Youngstown State at the FCS level. He quickly became one of the best pass-rushers of all-time in FCS. Rivers totaled 41 career sacks over his four-year career. This was a school record and is fifth all-time in sacks at the FCS level.

https://twitter.com/DLineVids/status/825481079683325952

Rivers has a lot of potential for the upcoming season. He is a complete pass-rusher and can get to the QB at a high rate. I believe he will make the roster for the upcoming season.

Deatrich Wise #91 (2017-Present):

Deatrich Wise is entering his 2nd season in the NFL and for the Pats. He was drafted by New England in the 2017 NFL Draft with the 131st overall pick. Wise got a lot of playing time in the 2017 season due to the injuries to the Patriots front seven. He played in all 16 games, and had 5 total sacks. He also had 2 sacks against Tennessee in the divisional round of the 2017 NFL Playoffs.

https://twitter.com/ezlazar/status/1010230976356716544

Wise has shown as a fourth-round pick that he can contribute to this team. He is a very good pass-rusher and can also occasionally be put on run situations. I believe that Wise will make the roster for next season.

Eric Lee #55 (2017-Present):

Eric Lee is entering his second year in the NFL and 1st full season for New England. Lee was picked up by Houston as an undrafted free agent but was later released after the preseason. The Bills picked Lee up and placed him on their practice squad until October. He was picked up by New England in November of that year. Lee played 6 games for the Patriots and had 3.5 sacks and one INT. His only INT came off the team that cut him a month earlier, the Buffalo Bills.

Lee was a good pickup for New England halfway through the season last year. He showed what he brings to the table last year, but will still have to battle to get a spot on the roster.

Geneo Grissom #96 (2015-Present):

Geneo Grissom was actually drafted 14 picks before Trey Flowers in the 2015 NFL Draft. Grissom will be entering his fourth season in the NFL and for the Pats. Grissom has definitely not outplayed Trey over his stint in New England. Over his three year career, he has played only 34 regular season games with only one sack. His best game came against Tennessee in the 2017 playoffs where he had two sacks.

https://twitter.com/DLineVids/status/952697712398426112

Grissom has been a disappointment in New England. I believe he was only kept on the roster last year due to the lack of depth at pass-rusher. Grissom is a candidate to get cut for the upcoming season if he doesn’t show his talent in training camp.

Trent Harris (Rookie):

Trent Harris was picked up by New England as an undrafted free agent from Miami. Harris had a four-year career at the “U” where he played in 44 games. Over that span, he had 15 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss. His senior year he had 8.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss.

Harris is a DE/OLB hybrid as he can also cover tight ends and slot receivers. Trent’s best option of making the team is practice squad unless he does something amazing in preseason or training camp.

The defensive end group for New England this year is a major upgrade from last year. With additions like Derek Rivers and Adrian Clayborn, the Pats are bound to make another Super Bowl run.

Is Belichick Shopping Rob Gronkowski?

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Bill Belichick Trading Away Gronkowski?

Via CNN

Let’s face it: Bill Belichick isn’t afraid of trading anybody. From Richard Seymour to Logan Mankins, Belichick won’t hesitate to trade veteran starters. With Rob Gronkowski working out a new contract, it’s come out today teams are looking at Gronkowski as trade bait. Training camp is about three weeks away. The Patriots probably want a new contract done at least before the start of the season.

Brady Would Be Livid

Jan 16, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) reacts before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional round playoff game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal has done some digging. He asked executives around the league about how teams are looking at the Gronkowski contract situation in New England. Bedard was told by an AFC executive, “Where’s the restructure of his contract? Until that’s done, I think he’s still available. I wouldn’t be surprised if Belichick is going to test Gronk’s buy-in with the contract.” It would be stunning if Belichick traded Gronkowski because they couldn’t agree on terms of a contract. I know of one player who would be livid if that happened: Tom Brady.

Gronkowski Is Here as Long as Brady Is

Brady is already out his number one target for in Julian Edelman for the first month of the season. He doesn’t have Danny Amendola anymore. All he has is Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell who’s returning from injury, and new Patriot Cordarrelle Paterson. There is no way Brady would want or let Gronkowski be traded. Gronkowski is a huge asset to the offense and losing him would be hard to replace. The Patriots selected Ryan Izzo, a tight end in this year’s NFL Draft. But there’s no way he’ll start unless Gronkowski does get traded. If they want to get rid of a tight end it should be Dwayne Allen. Allen was awful last season for the Patriots.

At the end of the day, I don’t think Gronkowski will get traded because Tom Brady would have nobody to throw to at the beginning of the season. He should’ve just retired at the end of last season if he knew Belichick was going to trade away the whole team so Josh McDaniels can start with a fresh new team in 2019. But Gronkowski will be here as long as Tom Brady is on the team. Two more years.