Chris Gronkowski is gearing up to play a traditional fullback role in the Broncos offense. While his primary job will be blocking, he’s ready for a chance to showcase some of his other skills.
Gronkowski took his first handoff of training camp during Thursday afternoon’s practice, running for positive yards and giving defenders a challenge in stopping his momentum.
“I got a handoff today, so that was cool,” he smiled. “Hopefully I get a couple more of those. And hopefully I can continue to use my versatility and catch some passes and run the ball, and also block. Hopefully I can show them that I can do those things as well.”
His eagerness to catch passes out of the backfield was evident when asked if he had hands like his brother, tight end Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots.
“Have you been watching practice?” he laughed. “I’ve got good hands. Rob’s one of the best, so I don’t know if I could say I have the same as him. But they’re up there.”
As he continues to get acclimated with the offense, Gronkowski said Running Backs Coach Eric Studesville has been the most helpful with the process.
“Pretty much Coach Studesville really took me under the wing right when I got here and brought me in,” Gronkowski said. “He showed me the plays, showed me how he wanted them run, and all the schemes. So it’s pretty much similar to what I’ve been running in the past and it has fit in well with me.”
But for some additional counseling, there’s always No. 18.
“(Quarterback) Peyton (Manning), if you ever need to know anything, just ask him,” Gronkowski said. “He knows everything — he knows every position. He knows what everyone’s doing.”
When asked to describe Manning as a player, he gave a response similar to what his other teammates have said: He’s a “true leader” and “works harder than anyone.”
But he prefaced that answer with one more reminder that he’s available as a receiver out of the backfield.
“I hope I get to catch some balls (from him),” he said.
Saturday’s team scrimmage will be Gronkowski’s first action in Sports Authority Field at Mile High. It’s a possibility that you’ll see him catch a pass. But it’s a guarantee that you’ll see him hitting somebody.
“If you go in there soft, you’re just going to get beat up,” he said. “30,000 fans, I hope we put a good show on.”
I suppose we can give him a pass for saying something positive about a Patriot….seeing as how it was his brother.
Haha true. Would be nice to have a fullback be able to catch like a tightend
arch: I’ve been saying the same thing about Gronk the Bronc!! lol I believe this is one of the reasons denver traded a good pick to get him. If he catches like a tightend out of the backfield we have more offensive weapons then people think. I waiting for that first big catch and run so we can officially start calling him GRONK THE BRONC!!!! LMAO
I wonder how many series they let the first team play against the bears. I’m nervous for manning to get sacked!
Kod: Thought it looked familiar. No problemo !!
ALL HAIL THE NECK!!!!
Fore my final pre pre-season BBBP is say the Orlando Franklin will be move\d to Guard in place of Beradles and Ryan Harris will be starting RT.
Just read that Denver is bringing in FS Jim Leonard for a look-see. I hope they like what they see, that guys pretty darn good as far as I’m concerned!
Congrats to the winner of the broncos prize pack on the brandon stokely answer … the obvious choice but i tried to go for the long shot … had i known a prize was awarded i might have gone with stokely. Man has just done to many beastly things in his career and as a bronco. A sure handed guy reminicent of Ed McAffery.
I could do without Groncko running it, but we need to utilize our FB as receivers more. We’ve been torched by the likes of hester, tolbert and others in the past. Its our turn to do the torching.
Later days, TRB out…
I like the use of a FB as a receiver out of the backfield. If gronk cab catch we will surely have the upper hand. Also with his size, I hope he can block. There is NO reason to even chance a hard hit on manning regardless whether or not he is healed up enough to take it. He’s just to expensive. I just know if I owned anything worth 96 Mil I would not want it touched by anyone.