New England Patriots: Rob Gronkowski shines on multiple routes

Pro Football Focus recently named the best route runners for certain routes last season. For New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, he excelled at a few.

After missing a good chunk of the 2016 season, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski came back in 2017 on a mission. For the most part, Gronkowski was able to stay healthy in 2017, and that resulted in a great season.

While there were some who questioned whether or not Gronkowski would be able to be one of the top tight ends in the NFL still, he laid the questions to rest rather quickly. Last season, Gronkowski totaled 69 receptions, 1,084 receiving yards, and eight receiving touchdowns.

In the playoffs, Gronkowski really shined, as he totaled 16 receptions, 218 receiving yards, and three receiving touchdowns. Considering Gronkowski was knocked out of the AFC Championship Game early against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a concussion, it was a great postseason for him.

Recently, Pro Football Focus graded some of the top route runners by each individual route. Despite being a tight end, Gronkowski graded very well on multiple routes. Here’s what PFF had to say about Gronkowski on crossing routes.

"The second-most popular route of 2017, there were 2,073 crossing routes attempted last season with 39 players seeing at least 15 targets on the route. Gronk hauled in 21-of-27 targets on crossing routes last year for a total of 335 yards, 17 first downs, and two touchdowns. All six of the incompletions were deemed uncatchable."

Seeing the numbers Gronkowski was able to accumulate on crossing patterns, it is no surprise that he was graded as the best in the league among those who qualified. In addition to being the best on crossing routes, Gronkowski was also graded as third highest on quick outs.

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Seeing how Gronkowski was one of the best tight ends in the league, it is no surprise that he excelled as a route runner. Pairing Gronkowski’s ability to run great routes and help create running lanes as a block, there is no denying that he is still an elite tight end. With some questions about whether or not he will retire before next season, the Patriots would suffer a big blow if he did.