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Are the Patriots’ skill position players better this year than last?

By Hal Bent

ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 03: The New England Patriots celebrate after winning the Super Bowl LIII at against the Los Angeles Rams Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 3, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. The New England Patriots defeat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 03: The New England Patriots celebrate after winning the Super Bowl LIII at against the Los Angeles Rams Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 3, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. The New England Patriots defeat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 25: Benjamin Watson (#84) of the New England Patriots runs with the ball chased by Geno Hayes (#54) of Tampa Bay Buccaneer during the NFL International Series match between New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium on October 25, 2009 in London, England. This is the third occasion where a regular season NFL match has been played in London. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 25: Benjamin Watson (#84) of the New England Patriots runs with the ball chased by Geno Hayes (#54) of Tampa Bay Buccaneer during the NFL International Series match between New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium on October 25, 2009 in London, England. This is the third occasion where a regular season NFL match has been played in London. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

Additions at tight end

The Patriots first addressed their pass-catching depth via free agency.

Tight ends Matt LaCosse and Ben Watson (along with the since-released Austin Seferian-Jenkins) were added to help fill the void left behind by Gronkowski’s retirement. Recently, veteran Lance Kendricks was added to the competition at tight end to compete with youngsters Andrew Beck, Ryan Izzo, and Stephen Anderson.

None of these tight ends comes even close to a replacement for Gronkowski, but New England’s offense–although tight end centric since 2011–is quite capable of operating at a high level without Gronkowski. It’s easy to forget that the Patriots actually won Super Bowl 51 with Martellus Bennett filling in for Gronk at tight end; they also made the AFC Championship Game in both 2012 and 2013 without Gronkowski.

While LaCosse and Watson may only produce league-average production (and Watson is suspended for the first four games of the season after failing a drug test back in the spring), they should be more than adequate for an offense that has historically functioned at a high level in the past with the likes of Michael Hoomanawanui, Tim Wright, and Scott Chandler at tight end in place of Gronkowski out of necessity.

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