A Successor To Gronkowski Is Hard To Find

With star tight end Rob Gronkowski retiring for the second time, who's next to take over as the NFL's best tight end? The Chiefs' Travis Kelce and the Ravens' Mark Andrews are impressive receivers, while the 49ers' George Kittle has a violent road block, and the competition is fierce.

Not only has Gronkowski accumulated 92 touchdowns in just 11 seasons, but he's a top-notch receiver in route running, catching and driving, with a 64.7 percent success rate, and his less-overlooked blocker is also violent and sloppy, making him eligible to be the greatest tight end of all time.

But it may be difficult to find such versatile, top-notch replacements, not just because of the lack of tight ends on the roster, but because of the way they're being used. The Ravens' Andrews, for example, has a 69.9 percent better success rate with his path running and receiving subtlety. But because the Ravens have other pass-blocking tight ends who can contribute, Andrews doesn't have to contribute much on the ground. So even though he has good ability in blocking, he has less chance to show it.

In addition, Kyles and others also have a crucial influence on the team's victory; Kelce doesn't have that many shots of exceptional catching skills, but he has a great rapport with Patrick Mahomes, making simple steps to break through and catch the ball.

Giteau, by contrast, stood out as a blocker, so fast that he once beat star rusher Von Miller. The only fly in the ointment, sadly, is a few fewer receiving yards, but two career 1,000-yard seasons and three straight seasons with a 70% receiving success rate is pretty impressive. Still, according to the PFF score, Andrews is the top blocker, and Giteau is second.

The current tight end hasn't been as bright as Gronkowski, probably because of tactical considerations. But if it comes down to it, Gitto, who is a beast on the field and a proven blocker, might be a little closer to Gronkowski