New England Patriots: 3 midseason concerns for Rob Gronkowski

FOXBOROUGH, MA - SEPTEMBER 30: Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots looks on from the sideline of the game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on September 30, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA - SEPTEMBER 30: Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots looks on from the sideline of the game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on September 30, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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New England Patriots Rob Gronkowski
New England Patriots Rob Gronkowski (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

Maybe Gronkowski has lost a step

Entering the season at 29 years of age and with the amount of injuries Rob Gronkowski has endured, it may be just that the dominate tight end is not as fast as he was.

It is also possible the New England Patriots are just holding back on how they use Gronk.  Remember, Gronkowski didn’t look complete during the first half of the 2017 season before he went off in an epic game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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That could very well happen against the Green Bay Packers in Week 9.  If it doesn’t and Gronkowski still struggles to get open, one has to wonder if the speed has inclined.  Still, with his size, the 6-foot-7 tight end should still be able to be a viable target based on his size.

Overall, Rob Gronkowski still has numbers most tight ends around the NFL would dream of.  In the 7 games he has played, he has 29 receptions for 448 yards, which has him just about on pace for another 1000-yard season.

The lack of touchdowns and targets in the end zone is a concern considering how the team has struggled to score touchdowns once inside the 20.

If Tom Brady can’t rely on Rob Gronkowski in that area, especially in that area, then the offense won’t be as unstoppable once the field is shortened.  If there is a decline in speed, the big man has to find a way to adjust his game to continue to be effective.