The New England Patriots are in the middle of an up-and-down offseason. They have lost quite a few players, added a few, and still have room to make more moves. Unfortunately, they are going to have to move forward without superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski helping lead the way.
Gronkowski announced his retirement from the NFL on Sunday afternoon. It was a bit of a shock, although he has been considering retirement for a couple of years.
Now, the Patriots have to find a way to beef up their offense a bit more to give Tom Brady the weapons he needs.
Jordy Nelson would be a perfect free agency target for the Patriots. After being released by the Oakland Raiders, Nelson is searching for the perfect fit to finish out his career. While he may not be the superstar that he once was with the Green Bay Packers, the Patriots should go out and try to sign him.
Last season with the Raiders, Nelson did not fit in with the offense very well. He ended up catching 63 passes for 739 yards and three touchdowns. Even in a major down season, Nelson was still productive.
Brady needs consistent players around him and Nelson has been the definition of consistent. Even at 33 years old, Nelson is more than capable of producing numbers. Having a quarterback like Brady will only make his job easier.
How would Nelson help fill the void left by Gronkowski? Well, quite frankly, he would bring the most experience and has the track record to prove that he steps up when his team needs him the most.
Julian Edelman is a top-notch wide receiver, but at 6-foot-3, Nelson would offer a much bigger target. He may not be a “tight end” by definition, but Nelson can play a similar role and run similar routes to the role that Gronkowski had in the offense. Even if they use him on the outside, Nelson still has the ability to make plays down the field.
Belichick and company have been known to aggressively target veterans in free agency. Nelson would be that kind of pickup for the Patriots. He wouldn't cost a lot of money and playing with Brady could get him back to the star level.
Nelson has always been an excellent sure-handed red zone target as well. New England will need someone like that without Gronkowski in the lineup.
Plenty of teams have already lined up with interest in Nelson. Among those teams are the Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, and Kansas City Chiefs. The Patriots were the other team mentioned in those rumors.
While Nelson may not be the move that powers New England back to the playoffs, he could certainly help. If the Patriots want to win another Super Bowl, they cannot afford to lose Gronkowski without adding a difference maker. New England did re-sign Phillip Dorsett and signed Bruce Ellington, but neither of those guys should be considered serious difference makers.
All of that being said, Nelson would be a perfect fit with the Patriots. He would fit into the offense nicely and has already played with a superstar quarterback in Aaron Rodgers. His success with Rodgers certainly seems to project well alongside Brady.
Expect to see the Patriots strongly consider making a move for Jordy Nelson. Signing him would be a big step towards getting themselves back to the Super Bowl.
Follow Us
Subscribe