It once felt like everyone was overvaluing the Buccaneers, whose Super Bowl odds skyrocketed this offseason with the additions of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.
Is it possible we’re now swinging too far in the other direction?
ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported last week she’s spoken to NFL defensive coordinators who aren’t too concerned about the Brady-Gronkowski tandem wreaking havoc in Tampa Bay.
Domonique Foxworth, a former NFL defensive back, expressed similar sentiments on ESPN’s “First Take,” suggesting teams would be wise to direct most of their attention elsewhere while trying to slow the Bucs’ offense.
“No, I don’t think they should (fear the Brady-Gronkowski tandem). I think whoever Dianna was talking to was probably right,” Foxworth said. “And it’s not to say this tandem hasn’t been great over history. I think most people would agree Rob Gronkowski is the best tight end in the history of football. But he was kinda falling apart. His body was breaking down at the end of his career, and then he took a year off. I understand that some people could frame that year off as a year to rest and recover, but it’s also a year away from the game. It’s hard to just drop back in the game, particularly in this unique offseason where you aren’t getting the same preparation that you normally would have. And I think that offense is not gonna be built around Rob Gronkowski and the way the Patriots’ offense utilized his ability to block and run routes and get open.”
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Gronkowski, traded to Tampa Bay from New England in April, just turned 31. Maybe he still has some gas left in the tank. But as Foxworth mentioned, the five-time Pro Bowl selection dealt with a multitude of injuries throughout his nine seasons with the Patriots before retiring on the heels of New England’s Super Bowl LIII victory over the Los Angeles Rams. It’s hard to tell whether he’ll stay healthy, let alone produce at an elite level for the Bucs.
As for Brady, who turns 43 in August, he’d have a surplus of weapons even without Gronkowski. It’ll be interesting to see whether his regression during the 2019 season — his 20th in New England — was mostly the product of deteriorating skills or rather a lackluster supporting cast in the Patriots’ offense.
“(The Bucs) have other playmakers; they have two other Pro Bowl caliber receivers in (Mike) Evans and (Chris) Godwin,” Foxworth said last week. “I think those guys are people you should fear before you to Gronkowski, and then you get to O.J. Howard, who hasn’t quite lived up to his draft status yet, but with a quarterback like Tom Brady, it’s possible O.J. Howard at tight end could be an even more impressive pass-catching option than Rob Gronkowski.
“So, not to say that Rob Gronkowski’s gonna be bad. But I think it would be wishful thinking to expect him to be above average to the point that he was before. I think he’ll probably be slightly above average, but it’s not enough for defensive coordinators to scheme around and be concerned about.”
To fear or not to fear Brady and Gronk. That really is a burning question nowadays, although defensive coordinators probably shouldn’t underestimate Tampa Bay’s offense, just to be safe.
