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Is it accurate/fair to equate Brady/Gronk with Mahomes/Kelce?
Looking at QB stats with/without, there's definitely a difference. That said, both QBs have won big games without their safety TE (Brady even a SB); they're not inept. I think it's safe to say Kelce and Gronk play the position with much more freedom than any other TEs in the league ... and their QBs know them well enough to take advantage of that. It doesn't seem like either TE would be as valuable in a different system or with a different QB. My gut tells me that the QBs/teams would still be good but not consecutive-SBs-great without that TE. My gut also tells me if you'd swap them in their prime, the respective teams would probably be just as good: legitimate dynasty.
Playing that mental extrapolation further, I'd guess Mahomes would struggle in NE under Belichick with Gronk just because of Belichick being Belichick. Brady in KC might be have never ended....
Another what if:
What if Brady or Mahomes played with Gonzales or Graham in their prime? Obviously not any TE can stumble in and succeed (I think Martellus Bennet and Aaron Gonzalez proved that), but what about a HOFer that was given the freedom these guys have?
To me, KC duplicated the Brady-Gronk magic and that's been the difference in their rise. I, personally, don't think Brady as GOAT and Mahomes being in that conversation already, happens without their specific TEs. Is LaPorte in Detroit the next one? ... maybe with a different QB?
Looking at QB stats with/without, there's definitely a difference. That said, both QBs have won big games without their safety TE (Brady even a SB); they're not inept. I think it's safe to say Kelce and Gronk play the position with much more freedom than any other TEs in the league ... and their QBs know them well enough to take advantage of that. It doesn't seem like either TE would be as valuable in a different system or with a different QB. My gut tells me that the QBs/teams would still be good but not consecutive-SBs-great without that TE. My gut also tells me if you'd swap them in their prime, the respective teams would probably be just as good: legitimate dynasty.
Playing that mental extrapolation further, I'd guess Mahomes would struggle in NE under Belichick with Gronk just because of Belichick being Belichick. Brady in KC might be have never ended....
Another what if:
What if Brady or Mahomes played with Gonzales or Graham in their prime? Obviously not any TE can stumble in and succeed (I think Martellus Bennet and Aaron Gonzalez proved that), but what about a HOFer that was given the freedom these guys have?
To me, KC duplicated the Brady-Gronk magic and that's been the difference in their rise. I, personally, don't think Brady as GOAT and Mahomes being in that conversation already, happens without their specific TEs. Is LaPorte in Detroit the next one? ... maybe with a different QB?
