Before the Patriots even traded for Michael Bennett Martellus was making noise on twitter, campaigning for the Patriots to make him an offer he couldn’t refuse to pair him back with Gronk and the two could continue their 8 game domination of opposing defenses that started in 2016. Once the trade happened he continued to spark speculation of his unretirement- tweeting that he wants to play with his brother and New England would be the perfect place for that to happen.
And at first I was all for it. Maybe it was looking through rose colored lenses but I wanted Marty back in uniform terrorizing defenses and catching touchdowns from TB. But reality set in and I remembered he has been out of football for a year, is 32 years old, and is probably more focused on his kids books and imagination emporium, which there is absolutely nothing wrong with.
But today he said he will not be coming out of retirement, instead focusing on his off the field work he started years ago. With the uncertainty of Rob Gronkowski returning and the lack of depth behind him the Patriots are in need for some youth at the position. Luckily the draft this year is chock full of potential targets.
Belichick is down in Alabama today for their pro day, and one potential target is Bama tight end Irv Smith. A long, smooth route runner that has some size to him, Smith is a projected first round talent and would immediately help bolster the position.
Then there are the pair of TE’s from Iowa, Noah Fant and TJ Hockenson. Fant blew away the scouts and Indianapolis, running a 4.50 40 and showcasing his agility and pass catching abilities. His teammate Hockenson is a monster, and has shown the ability to block and catch, reeling in 46 catches for 717 yards and 6 touchdowns last season. Both are projected to be first round picks, and some have them going as high as 10 or falling to the Patriots at 32.
You can bet that the team will be selecting a tight end in this draft. Whether or not it is one of those three- the consensus three best in the draft-remains to be seen. If Gronk comes back there may not be as much urgency to draft a tight end in the first round and spend that pick on a defensive lineman or (gulp) a wide receiver, considering the lack of depth at both positions.
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