The Mike Vrabel era began with a bang this spring, when the New England Patriots made several significant investments in NFL free agency.<\/p>\n
Rob Gronkowski expects more fireworks this fall.<\/p>\n
The former Patriots tight end spoke with NBC Sports Boston’s Kayla Burton<\/a> on Friday at Boston College High School, where he helped unveil the school’s new state-of-the-art weight room. And while Gronkowski liked New England’s offseason additions — which included wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins, defensive tackle Milton Williams and BC alum Harold Landry, among several others — he still isn’t sold on one particular position group<\/a>.<\/p>\n “I like what they’re doing, big time,” Gronkowski told Burton. “I feel like they filled all the gaps that they needed to fill in the offseason. I think the offensive line is going to be a little bit questionable still, but I think they’re going to figure it out.”<\/p>\n The four-time Super Bowl champion then made a bold prediction.<\/p>\n “Whatever holes are questionable once the season starts, I feel like they’re going to make a big splash in the trade market before the trade deadline as well,” Gronkowski added.<\/p>\n Perhaps that “splash” would come on the offensive line, which likely will feature four new faces in Week 1 — Will Campbell, Jared Wilson, Garrett Bradbury and Morgan Moses — two of whom are rookies.<\/p>\n But Gronkowski’s larger point is that the 2025 Patriots are worth investing in, and if an opportunity emerges to make a trade that could make the team a legitimate playoff contender, Eliot Wolf and the front office should pull the trigger.<\/p>\n “They’re doing everything the right way. They’re working hard. They’re coming together as a program. So, they’re on their way in the right direction,” Gronkowski said. <\/p>\n “… I think they’re going to improve tremendously from last year, and then they’re just going to keep making improvements as they go on in the areas that they need to, because that’s what they’ve done so far. <\/p>\n “So, I expect a pretty good formula out there and pretty quality football out of the Patriots this year.”<\/p>\n