Ever since the retirement of Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski, the New England Patriots have been searching for a new identity on offense. It’s only been one year since Gronk’s retirement, but it was apparent just how much Tom Brady and his Patriots offense missed the big guy’s presence in 2019.

The Patriots went from the fifth ranked offensive unit in 2018, to the 15th ranked offense in 2019. Brady also saw a drop in completion percentage, touchdown passes and passing yards from 2018 to 2019.

Something was clearly missing from the Patriots offensive attack last season, and most would agree that losing Gronk played a huge part in that.

Trying to find an adequate replacement for a future Hall of Famer is never easy, but luckily for the Pats, Indianapolis Colts tight end Eric Ebron is set to hit the open market in free agency this offseason.

He may not be the force that Gronkowski was, but Ebron has proven over the past few seasons that he’s a very capable tight end in this league.

During Ebron’s two-year stint with the Colts, he totaled 97 receptions for 1,125 yards and 16 touchdowns while also earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2018. He’s a freakish athlete at the tight end position and would certainly fit well in the Patriots system.

If New England wants to truly make one more championship run before Brady hangs up the cleats, surrounding him with stellar weapons should be priority number one. Signing Ebron to be Brady’s security blanket at tight end while snagging another solid weapon on the outside would have New England well on their way to another Lombardi.

If we learned anything from watching this past season unfold, it’s that having a solid tight end is invaluable for an offense. This year’s Super Bowl showcased two of the best in business in Travis Kelce and George Kittle.

The Patriots started this trend of stellar tight end play, so expect them to get back on the band wagon by signing Eric Ebron this offseason.