Rob Gronkowski is heralded as a great red zone weapon – a guy who creates monster mismatches around the goal line. But I don’t think that’s quite it. I think his best work is elsewhere on the field.
More so than catching short flips around the goal line, it’s Gronkowski’s size and ability to get open downfield that creates big problems. In New England’s offense, they often have the wide receivers (especially Edelman and Amendola) running the short, tight end-type routes, with Gronkowski getting further downfield than most tight ends.
Over the past four years, Gronkowski’s 30 touchdown catches have come from an average of 18 yards. That’s the 3rd-highest number among the 28 tight ends with at least 10 touchdowns.
TIGHT END DISTANCE AVERAGES (2013-16) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | TD | Avg |
Vernon Davis | S.F.-Was. | 17 | 22.1 |
Coby Fleener | Ind.-N.O. | 18 | 19.4 |
Rob Gronkowski | N.E. | 30 | 17.8 |
Travis Kelce | K.C. | 14 | 17.6 |
Charles Clay | Mia.-Buff. | 16 | 17.3 |
Jordan Cameron | Cle.-Mia. | 13 | 17.1 |
Greg Olsen | Car. | 22 | 16.5 |
Delanie Walker | S.F.-Ten. | 23 | 16.4 |
Jimmy Graham | N.O.-Sea. | 34 | 16.4 |
Zach Ertz | Phil. | 13 | 14.8 |
Julius Thomas | Den.-Jac. | 33 | 14.6 |
Kyle Rudolph | Minn. | 17 | 14.5 |
Dwayne Allen | Ind. | 16 | 14.1 |
Lance Kendricks | Rams | 13 | 13.5 |
Richard Rodgers | G.B. | 12 | 12.5 |
Jason Witten | Dall. | 19 | 12.0 |
Gary Barnidge | Clev. | 13 | 11.8 |
Jordan Reed | Wash. | 20 | 11.7 |
Tyler Eifert | Cin. | 20 | 11.4 |
Martellus Bennett | Chi.-N.E. | 21 | 11.0 |
Anthony Fasano | K.C.-Ten. | 11 | 10.9 |
Mychal Rivera | Oak. | 10 | 10.7 |
Brent Celek | Phil. | 10 | 10.6 |
Antonio Gates | S.D. | 28 | 10.5 |
Jermaine Gresham | Cin.-Ariz. | 12 | 10.0 |
Cameron Brate | T.B. | 11 | 9.4 |
Benjamin Watson | N.O. | 10 | 8.3 |
Owen Daniels | 3 tms | 10 | 4.6 |
—Ian Allan