Patriots Legend Explains Why New England Shouldn’t Tank, Yet

The New England Patriots will certainly not make the playoffs this season, but at 2-8, is the team ready to tank the rest of the season to ensure they get a prime draft pick?

With seven games remaining in their season, Patriots legend Rob Gronkowski thinks there are still too many games left to throw in the towel just yet.

"You can't tank right now," Rob Gronkowski said Wednesday on the "Up & Adams" show. "It's too early in the season still, it's kind of impossible."

Gronkowski said that the Patriots players have pride in their performance on the field, so they are going to want to go all out and win games.

"They want to show what they have," Gronkowski continued. "Possibly for a new contract in the future with the Patriots or with another team if they hit free agency."

Even though Gronkowski said it's too early to tank now, the four-time Super Bowl champion did give an example of when it would be understandable for New England not to put their best game forward.

"The only way you can possibly tank is if there's two games left in the season," Gronkowski said. "And you are guaranteed the first pick or the second pick if you lose the final two games of the season, that's when it's a possibility that you can think about tanking."

Gronkowski added not having to trade up in the draft by sacrificing a top prospect would be ideal for the Patriots, even though he encouraged Mac Jones to ask for a release from his former team.