That performance came at an opportune time as impatient fans were wondering why the Patriots traded six-time Pro Bowl left guard Logan Mankins to Tampa Bay for Wright. After all, Wright was just a free agent wide receiver from Rutgers who signed with the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent before last season.
Wright was obtained just 13 days before the season opener. Gronkowski didn't play in any preseason games while coming back from surgery. Michael Hoomanawanui was sidelined for most of training camp,
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Brady hit Wright for a 17-yard touchdown that gave the Patriots a 14-0 lead in their 43-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday night. It was one of a season-high five catches for Wright.
He has the potential to give the Patriots a second receiving tight end that they lacked last season after the team released Aaron Hernandez when he was arrested last summer and before he was charged with first-degree murder.
"Tim's a real smart guy. He's got a lot of experience in the passing game as a former receiver and experience from last year as a tight end in Tampa's system," coach Bill Belichick said.
Comfortable enough to come up behind Tom Brady, pound on the star quarterback's shoulder and embrace him after they connected on a touchdown pass for the first time.
"That, progressively, has helped us week by week," Belichick said.
But like the Patriots other tight ends, he had catching up to do.
"We haven't really had those guys on the field as much as we would like," Belichick said.
"When they're out there together we've got to be able to do multiple things. I certainly can't put them on the field and just do one thing with them or else that becomes something that the defense can focus on too much and try to take away," offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. "They both showed up, obviously, and made some plays for us, but they also did some things in the running game and other areas that helped our team."
Instead of being able to run a few yards as a wide receiver before encountering a defensive back, he has less time and room before meeting a defender.
But the time they have had to practice and play together has been valuable. Their next chance comes Sunday against the Bills in Buffalo,
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"Outside of him being called 'Gronk,' I didn't really know too many things about him," Wright said,
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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP)