Just as Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski thought he was done with the surgeon’s table, the Pro Bowler will need another procedure.
The surgery will be to repair a disc in Gronkowski’s back. The operation will take place some time around mid-June by Dr. Robert Watkins. Gronkowski sought out Dr. Watkins for consultation, hoping to forgo surgery after finally being declared clear of an infection in his left forearm which required four surgeries of its own this offseason.
Dr. Watkins is the same doctor who performed surgery on Gronk in September of 2009, while still at the University of Arizona. That surgery forced the tight end to miss the entire season. This time around, it is presumed Gronkowski will only miss some time in training camp but should still be ready for the regular season. Of course the injury bug is always a tricky one to figure.
In his absence, other tight ends on the roster will see increased time on the field. Most notably of that group is former-New York Giant Jake Ballard.
“I loved being here for the last year or so,” said Ballard, who played against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. “Now I’m finally ready to help put it together, help this team do whatever they ask of me to win some games.”
When Ballard speaks of “putting it all together” the four-year veteran means in reference to being fully healthy.
In that Super Bowl victory for the Giants, Ballard tore his ACL and was destined to miss the 2012 season. In the offseason, in an attempted salary cap move, the Giants waived the tight end and hoped he would clear waivers. If that, they would resign him to a friendly deal for next season. Only Ballard didn’t clear waivers, he was signed by the New England Patriots and placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list.
Now fully recovered and Gronkowski on the mend, Ballard could prove to become a strong weapon in the Patriots arsenal. And you know Pats head coach Bill Belichick, a master of signing players who do well against him (see Wes Welker), is excited to have an old foe now as a friend.
