There has been plenty of speculation regarding the health of Rob Gronkowski entering the 2014 season. After tearing his ACL and ending his 2013 season that had just barely begun, the tight end stresses he is healthy, but has yet to see any preseason action, much less put on pads and get tackled. Gronkowski has run through team drills and 11-on-11 situations, but that has been it. Now a recent trade by the Patriots has many questioning if Gronkowski is as healthy as he says he is.
New England finalized a trade on Tuesday that sent six-time Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for tight end Tim Wright and a fourth-round draft pick for next season. Mankins has been one of the mainstay veterans for the Patriots after being a first-round pick back in 2005. He has been Tom Brady's safety blanket. But, in true Patriots form, Bill Belichick and company must know something everyone else does not and does that something have to do with Gronkowski?
According to the Boston Herald, Gronkowski plans on playing Week 1 of the 2014 season. However, ESPN's Trey Wingo brings up the point that if the Patriots were willing to give away Mankins, there must be some lingering doubt that Gronkowski will not be available for the first few weeks of the season. The two tight ends do play different positions. Wright is more of a flex tight end while Gronkowski is an in-line tight end so the trade helps with depth and offensive versatility no matter what, but will the younger tight end see more playing time in the first few weeks?
Evan Silva of Rotoworld believes that Wright could be used to take over the role Aaron Hernandez once held with the team. Wright is extremely athletic and can play multiple roles in his position. It helps the Patriots whether Gronkowski is on the field of not. Former Buccaneer Darrelle Revis believes the trade was smart and believes in Wright as a quality offensive player.
"He's great," Revis said, via ESPN.com. "He started for us down in Tampa, when I was there last year. And we are getting a solid player who can catch and who can run routes. He was a wide receiver coming in, then they switched him to tight end. He has a lot of speed at the tight end position."
No one would blame Gronkowski if he is not healthy come the start of the season. Injuries have ruined the past two seasons for the Pro-Bowl player and it is only fair that he takes his time coming back. The Patriots want to avoid any setbacks with the tight end. However, it appears the trade for Wright is no indication of whether or not Gronkowski will be on the field for the first snap of 2014.
