Wowing with athleticism Gronkowski seems to have greatly benefited from taking last season off and has been consistently making plays throughout early padded practices, Scott Smith of the team's official... Impact Gronkowski frequently seemed a sluggish shadow of his former self during his last Patriots campaign in 2018, a year where he missed three games and finished with a 47-682-3 line. His elite athleticism helped him get by that season to an extent, but the Buccaneers appear to have acquired an early-career version of Gronk if early camp practices are any indication, with the 10-year pro frequently getting downfield and making catches in traffic with ease. Gronkowski concedes the defense was moving much faster than he remembered during his first couple of practices, but that he now feels "everything coming back to him day by day." The veteran also noted Thursday he's not thinking along the lines of having his snap count limited despite having excellent depth behind him in the form of O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate, noting he'd be willing to be in on every play if necessary but acknowledging his playing time will ultimately be in the hands of the coaching staff.
AUGUST 21, 2020 • ROTOWIRE