Do you think his retirement will cause Tom Brady to rethink his own retirement, after all he will be a difficult cog in the Patriots machine to replace.
They've won w/o him in the past including the super bowl win over Atlanta in which he didn't play - they're a machine and will keep on keeping on as long ad Brady is playing well and Belichick is still coaching well.
Brady isn't going anywhere because of the loss of one receiver, even if it is Gronk. The guy just loves the game too much and, while his skills have diminished a bit from his younger days, is still one of the best QBs in the game today.
The reality is that Gronk has not been stunningly productive during the last two seasons anyway. That is no shot at Gronk - he will always have a special place in the hearts of the fan base and in Patriots history - but the pounding he has taken has taken its toll. Over the last season, many teams started to figure this out and adjusted accordingly.
I have no doubt that the Pats will make adjustments to ensure that Brady has weapons to throw to. They are the Pats - it is what they do. Everyone seems to believe that Brady and Belichick are the primary reasons for Patriot success, but the real reason is the team's unrivaled ability to find value picks and diamonds in the rough to fill weak roster spots. Team rosters flip almost every year because of free agency and the salary cap, so having a great QB is not nearly enough. Imagine teams like Buffalo who must feel like jackasses when the Pats snatch a receiver off of their practice squad and make him a valuable starter. The Pats have been doing this shit for years now, so much so that many GMs on other teams will no longer trade with them for fear of getting embarrassed.
Brady and his mania for playing have nothing to do with Gronkl and Gronk's retirement will have no effect at all. The Patriots roster will be filled out when other teams hit their June 1 cut down date and start releasing players. Patriots will draft a tight end this year; trade for Josh Rosen and a receiver, either Sterling Shepard, Thielen or Green.
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The reality is that Gronk has not been stunningly productive during the last two seasons anyway. That is no shot at Gronk - he will always have a special place in the hearts of the fan base and in Patriots history - but the pounding he has taken has taken its toll. Over the last season, many teams started to figure this out and adjusted accordingly.
I have no doubt that the Pats will make adjustments to ensure that Brady has weapons to throw to. They are the Pats - it is what they do. Everyone seems to believe that Brady and Belichick are the primary reasons for Patriot success, but the real reason is the team's unrivaled ability to find value picks and diamonds in the rough to fill weak roster spots. Team rosters flip almost every year because of free agency and the salary cap, so having a great QB is not nearly enough. Imagine teams like Buffalo who must feel like jackasses when the Pats snatch a receiver off of their practice squad and make him a valuable starter. The Pats have been doing this shit for years now, so much so that many GMs on other teams will no longer trade with them for fear of getting embarrassed.