Rob Gronkowski injury: will Buccaneers TE return in Week 10?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 6-2 this season and are fresh off a bye week following a tough loss to the New Orleans Saints. The extra rest is great news for Rob Gronkowski, who has been dealing with injury issues for much of the year.

Gronkowski went out at the end of September and was able to return on Halloween against the Saints, but had one target and no catches.

So is he good to go on Sunday against Washington? That is still unknown as Gronkowski is just returning to practice in some capacity.

Rob Gronkowski's status remains unknown for Week 10

The veteran tight end is trying to work his way back from a gruesome injury that saw him suffer cracked ribs, a broken rib and a punctured lung. Just going about day-to-do life is hard enough with all those injuries.

That explains why the Buccaneers are giving Gronkowski plenty of time to recover. Getting on the field against New Orleans was a good sign, but the slow recovery means even that may have been too soon.

The good news is that the Buccaneers are still 6-2, and as long as Tom Brady is in at quarterback, the team is in great shape.

Gronkowksi did, however, get off to a hot start this year. He had two touchdowns in back-to-back games before the injuries struck. The goal now should be to just make sure he is healthy for the final phase of the regular season and the postseason.

In his absence, the other two tight ends on the roster are not getting as much action within the offense. OJ Howard and Cameron Brate have modest numbers. They also had two receptions apiece against New Orleans. Gronkowski and Brady just have a special connection that is hard to replicate.

Tampa Bay's next two games are against the Washington Football Team and the New York Giants. Barring any surprises, they should easily win both without Gronkowski, who can allow his ribs to heal and try to win yet another Super Bowl title alongside Brady before retiring.

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