New England Patriots New TE Wants to Follow in Rob Gronkowski’s Large Footsteps

Jaheim Bell is the latest weapon in the Patriots’ offensive arsenal. The Pats have a plan for Bell if the lengths they’ve gone to integrate him within the offense is any indication. For his part, the former Florida State TE is ready to step in the shoes of arguably one of the best TEs New England has ever hosted.

“It was very exciting (getting drafted by the Patriots),” Bell said following Saturday’s rookie minicamp workout. “Just knowing … a huge name that a tight end played here, Gronk, I feel like, I can follow his footsteps.” What makes him think he can follow in the gigantic footsteps of a four-time Super Bowl champion and a five-time Pro Bowl selection?

While Bell believes he’s a match for Gronk in physicality, he falls into the category of what scouts refer to as a “tweener.” Standing at 6-2 and weighing 241 pounds, he doesn’t possess the size typically associated with traditional tight ends nor the speed of wide receivers.

How Will Jaheim Bell Fit Into the Pats Offense?

However, Bell brings versatility to the table, with his experience playing multiple positions including tight end, running back, and wide receiver. And it’ll be up to the Pats to decide how they leverage that. And he is aware of it too.

“I just consider myself as a ballplayer. I’ve played a lot of different positions. So I feel like whatever they ask me to do, I can do it,” Bell said. “I have no issues with doing it. Anything that a coach puts at me, I know I can do it to the best of my ability.”

Despite his smaller size, Bell’s athleticism enables him to engage in blocking assignments effectively. He can quickly maneuver and adjust to block defenders, contributing to both the running and passing game. As for his catching abilities, his speed and agility can make him a reliable target and also allow him to quickly accelerate after receptions, gaining extra yards after the catch.

Bell’s standout quality lies in his exceptional athleticism as a tight end. He posted an impressive 8.43 out of ten relative athletic scores at the NFL Combine, with his 4.61-second 40-yard dash placing him in the 75th percentile for weight-adjusted speed score. Among tight ends at this year’s combine, his time ranks as the third-fastest.

According to Jim Nagy, there’s an anticipation that OC Alex Van Pelt will introduce a scheme emphasizing misdirection and play-action. The objective for Bell within this strategy would be to exploit play-action fakes to swiftly receive the ball, granting him ample space to leverage his speed and agility. But will that be enough for Bell to fill in the enormous shoes of the Gronk?

About the author

Nidhi

Nidhi is an NFL Editor for The SportsRush. Her interest in NFL began with 'The Blindside' and has been working as an NFL journalist for the past year. As an athlete herself, she uses her personal experience to cover sports immaculately. She is a graduate of English Literature and when not doing deep dives into Mahomes' latest family drama, she inhales books on her kindle like nobody's business. She is proud that she recognised Travis Kelce's charm (like many other NFL fangirls) way before Taylor Swift did, and is waiting with bated breath for the new album to drop.

Read More