One More Move
June 24th, 2022
Free agent TE Kyle Rudolph.
So what are the Bucs to do about the retirement-maybe of foot-rubbing tight end Rob Gronkowski? Do the shotcallers at One Bucs Palace call Gronk’s bluff and sign a veteran free agent?
In the eyes of Field Yates of BSPN, the Bucs need to do something to bolster their tight end population. Currently, the Bucs have one — one! — tight end who has caught a pass in the NFL.
Yates stated the obvious. In a column naming one more move each team should make, Yates pleads with the Bucs to find a veteran tight end quickly.
… The Bucs weren’t caught totally blindsided by Gronk’s decision, as they used fourth- and sixth-round picks on the tight end position this past draft. But the Bucs need players who can help immediately, and a veteran who can develop an immediate rapport with Tom Brady would be a wise investment. Unless Gronk eventually returns.
Joe wonders if free agent tight end Kyle Rudolph is already in talks with the Bucs.
Rudolph averaged 10 yards a catch with a woeful Giants quarterback last season. And even though Rudolph is 32, he’s durable as can be. He’s only missed five games since the start of the 2015 season. And unlike Cam Brate, Rudolph, as documented here, is a pretty fair blocking tight end.
Joe has a hunch if Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht has not activated Plan-B at tight end by the middle of August, that means he believes Gronk will return.
Enjoy The Full Todd Bowles Intervew – 38 Minutes On The Ira Kaufman Podcast!
June 24th, 2022 at 9:04 am
Ummm Rudolph is a free agent. No need to trade
June 24th, 2022 at 9:15 am
Jesse James only costs money, he’s coming off a season in Chicago where he only got target 8 times and he’s only 28. From what I’ve found, no major injury, never been a liability as a blocker, and he’s played on teams that used their TEs as receivers alot less than our system. Chance at more PT, potentially splitting time w/Cam Brate while Ko & Cade keep cooking.
June 24th, 2022 at 9:20 am
So how are the Giants going to trade a player that they already cut.
June 24th, 2022 at 9:33 am
Wonder if Gronk could be hired as a TE asst. coach for a few weeks. Pie in the sky, I realize. But maybe … ?
June 24th, 2022 at 9:47 am
Funny Joe, I was wondering the same about Rudolph. I made a quick search of TEs, the criteria was simple:
1. Look for a crap team that isn’t positioned for a playoff spot
2. On the crap team, look to see if it is led by a crap QB. That can help uncover a decent TE who never had the opportunity to shine stats-wise.
3. Can that decent TE block.
Kyle Rudolph popped out quickly. I can’t vouch for him, I only watched one NYG game last season and my eyes nearly bled. I know he was good years ago with Minne, but the production fell which resulted in him being a cap casualty. That drop-off in production in Minne is a concern, as Kirk Cousins is a trigger-happy QB.
In other words, I can discount poor stats with a bum like Daniel Jones, but not with Kirk Cousins.
June 24th, 2022 at 10:09 am
Actually, they have 2 that have caught a pass in an NFL game. Cody McElroy caught one in 2019.
www . nfl . com/players/codey-mcelroy/stats/
June 24th, 2022 at 10:18 am
He is not a good blocking tight end. Brate is every bit as good.
He is very good receiver though
June 24th, 2022 at 10:32 am
If only we had signed OJ to a long term deal!
(sarcasm)
June 24th, 2022 at 10:40 am
We don’t need to kep buying older guys. Let’s at least see what the new kids we drafted are capable of. I think they did catch passes in college? Oh, and block people also?
June 24th, 2022 at 10:41 am
No way Gronk doesn’t rejoin Tommy.
Done deal.
June 24th, 2022 at 10:58 am
If we are desperate for a vet TE, go with Jesse James. I live in PA and watched him for several years as a Steeler.
June 24th, 2022 at 11:03 am
Gronk’s body has been beaten up over and over. He will stay in shape but get a chance to mend for the next few months. And if it looks like the Bucs will be headed to the post-season, you know that Brady will tap into getting Gronk back by December and poised for another ring.
June 24th, 2022 at 11:04 am
Gronk’s body has been beaten up over and over. He will stay in shape but get a chance to mend for the next few months. And if it looks like the Bucs will be headed to the post-season, you know that Brady will tap into getting Gronk back by December and poised for another ring.
June 24th, 2022 at 11:11 am
IF this team is indeed going all or nothing for another ring, we need to figure out the Gronk sitch NOW
Don’t fool around and fill the need soon
That SB window is still open
And I wish there was a way to sign Suh – he brings a certain nasty to the DL
June 24th, 2022 at 11:12 am
It’s not looking good. TEs used to be a denigrated position in the NFL, but now they’re seen as integral to a good offense. I looked over the trade options, but nothing leapt out. I like Hunter Henry, he’s on a team that needs a rebuild, and his team has a trade relationship with Licht. But as GOB pointed out, he developed good chemistry with Mac Jones. Belichick stripped away some of Jones’ protection (Shaq Mason), but I’m not so sure Bill will trade away one of the few good pass-catching targets on that team. You’d also have to factor in a $10 million dead-cap loss for New England, so it would likely take a second-round pick and change for the Bucs.
It isn’t a pretty picture.
June 24th, 2022 at 11:12 am
Jared Cook > Kyle Rudolph…
June 24th, 2022 at 11:12 am
It’s gonna be either TONY GONZALEZ OR SHANNON SHARPE that they’re gonna sign!😃 I think Shannon wants to get away from Skip anyway.
June 24th, 2022 at 11:20 am
From a fan stand point, Gronk is gone and they need to bring in someone in to learn the playbook with Brady if they expect a Super Bowl. This could be unretiring just another media bomb plan like Brady unretiring. Bucs knew about that after Brady said he wasn’t done like 2 weeks in. I trust Licht because now it’s official. WIN NOW. LFG BUCS!!!
June 24th, 2022 at 11:20 am
we have two ; Brate and Perriman
June 24th, 2022 at 11:37 am
Is there a reason you called Perriman a TE?
June 24th, 2022 at 11:40 am
Kyle Rudolph’s best games are VS the Saints FYI….
June 24th, 2022 at 11:41 am
If the Bucs don’t sign a veteran TE, then there is a deal for Gronk to come back after Camp. This whole Gronk a day thing is fishy.
June 24th, 2022 at 11:42 am
ESPN –“Keft is purely a blocker because of his 40 time” (4.98) I checked Gronk’s 40 time as a kid….4.68. .3 seconds between Hall of Fame and being on the bench?? These people are idiots
June 24th, 2022 at 11:46 am
Another LeFranc injury guy, this one with surgery?
How healed is he. He was not 100% with the Jints.
June 24th, 2022 at 11:48 am
Suh can be a blocking TE.
June 24th, 2022 at 12:08 pm
There is not another Gronk available, in fact, most of those the Bucs can afford are even further over the hill than Gronk and never were as physical.
Gronk was not considered an NFL prospect until he showed the world. Let one of our current stable of four TEs work with Brady and see if the magic can happen again.
If not they have 3 RBs who can come out of the backfield with a good blocking TE mowing D backs down.
Lots of ways to win it all.
June 24th, 2022 at 12:13 pm
We still have Brate. Lets give our rooks and chance and see what we have. After preseason, if we need someone we’ll get em.
June 24th, 2022 at 12:17 pm
@Craig
You couldn’t be more wrong. Gronk was considered a high-quality NFL prospect in college, the only reason he was a second-round pick was the concern about a back injury he sustained.
A former scout in Oakland accidentally left his draft evaluations in a notebook, and it became available during a yard sale. Part of it was published online. To paraphrase the evaluation, the scout stated that Gronk was likely the one player with the greatest upside in the entire draft, the only concern was his back injury.
June 24th, 2022 at 12:19 pm
#8, what is it with you and Suh?
June 24th, 2022 at 12:33 pm
Prior to the draft, everyone knew that Gronk was stronger than an ox, had great hands, was a smart route runner, an outstanding blocker, and quick.
He had two negatives:
1. Back injury
2. While waiting to be interviewed in Foxboro, Gronk got bored, laid down on the floor, and fell asleep.
That gamble worked out.
That same draft year, New England drafted another TE who had second-round talent, but he had a checkered history of being a bad locker room presence and that he was only being kept in check by Tim Tebow and the Pouncey twins. New England took a chance and grabbed him in the fourth round.
His name was Aaron Hernandez. That gamble didn’t quite work out.
June 24th, 2022 at 12:41 pm
I am manifesting the return of Suh.
June 24th, 2022 at 1:18 pm
I want Suh as well. Brady can make due with the TEs and WRs we have.
June 24th, 2022 at 1:23 pm
Suh ‘s pff was 49.7 last year, 108th among starting tackles. Stands to reason it would only be less year
June 24th, 2022 at 2:09 pm
my mistake on Perriman
June 24th, 2022 at 2:14 pm
How could Licht be ”completely blindsided” by Gronks decision? He already retired once, and suffered a major injury last year. Trusting the position to a 33 year old walking blue tent, was wishful thinking at it’s best. Licht should’ve approached the position as if Gronk wasn’t coming back. If he did, great. At least you’d have an insurance policy. I doubt the rookies he drafted will contribute much at all this year. One of them can’t block, and the other can’t catch.
Maybe Licht was afraid if he signed a premium TE, it would drive Gronk away. Grasping at straws here. It’s just inconceivable to me.
June 24th, 2022 at 2:25 pm
Rudolph is completely washed and is breaking down physically. The Giants regrettably gave him a courtesy contract and actually could have rescinded and didn’t. Look at his last few years stats if you don’t believe me. His career trajectory is following that of Greg Olsen…but was never as good as him…just similar in drop off (the cliff ).
June 24th, 2022 at 2:46 pm
Craig Says:
June 24th, 2022 at 12:08 pm
He wasn’t? That’s news to the Patriots, who drafted him in the 2nd round (#42 overall)… In fact, he would have been drafted even higher had he not had some back issues and surgery.
So, that sounds like an NFL prospect to me. Are you dumb or just misinformed?
June 24th, 2022 at 2:58 pm
Sasquatch is absolutely correct. Had he not had back problems in college, Gronk is very likely drafted in the first half of round one. Even with the injury concerns, he wouldn’t have lasted much longer than 42. It is true that some stupid teams took him completely off their boards, because of the injury concerns.
June 24th, 2022 at 3:02 pm
Keft is going to be a hall of famer. You heard it here first
June 24th, 2022 at 3:08 pm
Which sport?
June 24th, 2022 at 3:16 pm
He would totally kick butt in women’s volleyball
June 24th, 2022 at 4:58 pm
Gronkowski is going into the WWE & it’s gonna be him against BRRRRRRROCK LESNAR one day! THE GRONK SPIKE vs. THE F5 & SUPLEX CITY. He could call his new finishing move THE GRONK SPIKE!
June 24th, 2022 at 7:02 pm
Gronk’s not replaceable with any one player.
Simple as that.
And GOB, Licht is tough guy to blindside. So we roll with our own guys. We’ve got a real QB, a rough and tumble OL, good RB’s and WR’s.
We’ve never had this level of talent.
Love me some Cam Brate and soon to see Otten and Ko. LFG!
June 24th, 2022 at 7:42 pm
@passing through
Hahahhahhha!!!
June 25th, 2022 at 2:51 am
The biggest move they could make would be a trade for Dalton Shultz from Dallas, who skipped the Cowboys OTAs and still isn’t happy about his contract. Shultz is all-around and ready for big seasons. Landing him would make people forget about Gronk more quickly. But why would the Cowboys part with him?
A move the Bucs should definitely NOT consider, please no, is Jimmy Graham. A tremendous disappointment for every team since his glory years with the Saints and Drew Brees. He’s washed up, and never learned how to block. Hell no on Jimmy Graham.
The FA list is pretty depressing. Any of them would just join Brate/Otton/Kieft/McElroy in a committee, and none would stand out, forcing the Bucs to address the position again next offseason.
Kyle Rudolph would be a quiet short-term fill-in, but the closest thing to a legit TE1. He’s not young, had a subpar season, but look who has QB was. With Brady, he would be better, possibly quite good. Ebron and Cook don’t block but will make some plays as pass catchers. Jesse James, a solid TE2 who blocks, same with Toilolo. Blake Jarwin suffered two bad injuries recently and wouldn’t be someone to bother with in the short term. Ryan Izzo was a special teams mainstay for NE, but don’t expect him to ever be a breakout TE1.
The rest of the list is sad.
June 26th, 2022 at 10:24 am
He looked shot to me last year. Giants had terrible production from TE position last year to go along with an overall poor offensive output. Engram regressed and Rudolph was more of a blocker who doesn’t separate well. Hope Brate is able to stay on the field and we get something from the young TE.
June 26th, 2022 at 10:42 am
I’m down on Brate only because as a receiver he can’t seperate from coverage like Gronk. He has a limited role to play in the offense, red zone he is valuable, he can get open using his body to pick out defenders.
His weakness besides blocking is getting open downfield. Gronk was terrific at catching the ball 15-20 yards downfield. Brate can’t do that. He is very slow and not athletic.
The Bucs are going to have to speed up the development of the rookie tight end they drafted in the 4th round. He can catch the ball and can get some seperation downfield. Brady will need to spend extra time working with him. Mike Evans will also need to mirror some of Gronk’s plays so Brady can find that
intermediate target while Godwin is out.
June 26th, 2022 at 9:22 pm
Gronk is only retired for 40 days guys he’ll be ready right before training camp
June 28th, 2022 at 12:58 am
sign jeremy shockey 🙂