Buffalo Bills: Is Star Tight End The Answer For The Bills?

The Buffalo Bills are on the edge of something spectacular. They keep inching closer and closer to the Super Bowl and barely falling short. This offseason will be pivotal in the future of the franchise and they’re rumored to make a big splash. The offseason hasn’t even heated up and there are already rumors the Buffalo Bills want to sign Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski to their squad.

If the rumors are true, it’s a big and bold move for the Bills. Buffalo has had weapons on offense but can’t seem to get over the hump. Adding Gronkowski to the mix might make Buffalo unstoppable. The possibility of a big-target tight end in the middle of the field could be the weapon Josh Allen needs. Even though playmakers like Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders came up big for Buffalo time and time again, a pass-catching tight end like Gronk adds a whole new wrinkle.

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It’s not just about being a playmaker. The size difference between Rob Gronkowski and defenders has been the crutch of Tom Brady for years. Defenders either have to set up with one-on-one matchups that often lead to big plays or they have to double up on Gronkowski leaving other matchups lopsided. Even as a decoy at tight end, the entire field has to be shifted to try and take away his catches.

By signing Rob Gronkowski to the Buffalo Bills, Allen should find more mismatches down the field with Stefon Diggs. One of the ways defenses were able to shut down Buffalo’s attack was to sit on their heels and guard against the deep attack. If defenders sit on Diggs’ routes, then the short-to-mid game Gronkowski excells at will make teams pay. On top of the passing game, it ought to open up more lanes for running the football.

Buffalo was able to excel in the middle of the field by defenders rushing the run lanes and sitting on deep routes. Stacking the box and rushing the QB worked despite Buffalo being able to move the chains. Sitting on deep routes and swarming receivers limited YAC. Gronk is one of the harder players to tackle so defenders can’t give him open space. They have to tighten up the field and sit on those middle routes, so with a good push from the line, running lanes will get bigger.

The Buffalo Bills want to get to the Super Bowl. Rob Gronkowski could be the missing piece.