The Tampa Bay Buccaneers generated plenty of hype by trading for tight end Rob Gronkowski, who came out of retirement, and pairing him alongside quarterback Tom Brady this offseason. It seems he has managed to fit the billing in the eyes of head coach Bruce Arians so far in training camp.

According to Ryan Bass of 10 Tampa Bay, Arians shared some high praise for Gronkowski's play in camp:

“He looks to me like he was five or six years ago,” Arians told reporters. “… He doesn't have a gigantic elbow brace on. He's moving, running fast again and has great body control.”

Arians' comments are an encouraging sign for Tampa Bay and a distressing one for the rest of the league. Gronkowski initially retired due to the wear and tear he had endured during his time with the New England Patriots. Fortunately, the time off seems to have paid huge dividends for him from a physical standpoint.

The Buccaneers already had a surplus of talent in the tight end room prior to Gronkowski's arrival between Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard. Although there had been plenty of speculation regarding their plans to trade one of them during an unprecedented offseason due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it appears they plan to take full advantage of it during the 2020 NFL season. Of course, this should hardly come as any surprise considering Brady's past success in two tight-end sets.

Regardless, there is no question where Gronkowski will fall in the pecking order for this group. His rapport with Brady should make him an immediate option in the passing game alongside wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.