Jimmy Graham declared himself the best of the trio.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) as New Orleans Saints defensive back Roman Harper (41) closes in during a joint NFL football practice in Foxborough, Mass., Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012.FOXBOROUGH – Jimmy Graham didn’t even have to think about it.
He believes that he’s best tight end in the NFL, and being on the field with the New England Patriots duo of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez during Tuesday’s joint practice did nothing to deter him.
So when Graham was asked if he was willing to declare himself the king of tight ends, there was no reason to pause or reflect. He just answered.
“Of course,” Graham, a former basketball player who just recently took up the game, said before repeating himself for emphasis. “I’m young, and the thing about me is that I’ve been playing for three years. I know I’m getting better.”
Really, though, choosing between the three is merely a matter of opinion. All three bring different elements to table and are widely considered the best tight ends in the league.
While Hernandez was slowed by injuries last season, Gronkowski and Graham went into the last week of the season locked in a dead heat for the all-time receiving mark by a tight end, with Gronkowski narrowly edging him out, 1,327 yards to 1,310.
Maybe that’s why Gronkowski doesn’t feel like he has anything to prove and took a more diplomatic approach when posed a similar question.
“There’s really no competition,” Gronkowski said. “He’s a great player, a great guy to put the film on and see what he’s doing to get open. He’s doing a great job at it so you can learn from him.”
For defensive coordinators, there is no right or wrong opinion when it comes to the trio. The only thing matters is that all three players are a nightmare to matchup against, and those issues are compounded in New England with both Gronkowski and Hernandez to worry about.
After just one practice, Saints defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo came to understand just how daunting the task is.
“We only have 11 and they have 11,” Spagnuolo said. “You can only double so many guys, so you’ve got to pick your spots, pick and choose, and that’s one advantage they have. I’m sure Tom (Brady), when he sees a double somewhere, he goes to the other guy, and he’s got a guy who can beat a one-on-one.”
And even if Graham thinks he’s the best of the three, his brashness should not be taken as disrespect.
He said he was honored to be in the same class as Hernandez and Gronkowski, and that he consistently watches both players and tries to emulate Hernandez’s precise route running and the way Gronkowski uses his body to his advantage.
“I think all of us work hard,” he said. “I’m definitely proud to be in that group, but I definitely except to be because how hard I work and how hard I continue to work.”