For the first time this season, New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will be active. At least, that’s what is being reported in the lead up to the team’s Thursday night tilt with the Houston Texans.
Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski will be active tonight, per source. His first action of 2016 season. https://t.co/1v5t7veu24
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 22, 2016
This is some rather huge news for New England. Without their top two quarterbacks, the Patriots will be relying on rookie third-round pick Jacoby Brissett against one of the best defenses in the NFL.
Having someone of Gronkowski’s ilk on the field as a pass-catching option will be huge for the rookie signal caller.
The league’s best receiving tight end, Gronkowski missed the first two games of the season with a hamstring injury. It’s somewhat of a surprise that he’s going to be active Thursday night after a short week of preparation.
With Gronkowski active, Brissett will have two solid tight ends to rely on. Martellus Bennett produced at a high level over the first two games, and should continue to play a large role on offense come Thursday night.