Kranchick scores in shorthanded situation
FOXBOROUGH -- Something has been missing from the Patriots offense during training camp and it's not chemistry between Tom Brady and his new receivers. It's a full complement of tight ends.
The Patriots expected to be without David Thomas, who opened camp on the physically unable to perform list with a broken foot, and Daniel Graham, who departed for Denver during the offseason. But they didn't anticipate Graham's replacement, Kyle Brady, second-year tight end Garrett Mills, and starter Benjamin Watson all missing time.
The Patriots haven't had their full allotment of tight ends at practice in pads since the opening day of training camp. Brady hasn't practiced in pads since getting injured the second day of camp. Watson was hurt Monday and has missed the last two days with an unspecified injury. Mills, who spent last season on injured reserve and was hurt on the first day of camp, returned to contact practices this week.
The only tight end to be a regular par ticipant is third-year man Matt Kranchick, who was signed to the practice squad last December.
"Yeah, I'd like to think that if they wouldn't have gotten hurt I still would have got the reps," said Kranchick, "but as it worked out I'm getting to show a lot more what I can do and I'm trying to make the most out of it."
Kranchick's gain, however, is the Patriots' loss. A team that has leaned heavily on two tight end sets, New England has been handcuffed somewhat by the paucity of players at that position. To add depth, the team signed journeyman Marcellus Rivers, who didn't play last season.
"If we're light in one area, hopefully we can pick up the slack and get ahead in another area and then at some point balance it out," said coach Bill Belichick. "We do what we can do and what we can't do, for right now, we don't worry about it and move on."
At 6 feet 7 inches, 265 pounds, Kranchick looks the part of a big, bad blocking tight end. Yet, despite only having one catch in eight regular-season games -- "Yeah, somebody painted [the ball] up and gave it to me," he said -- Kranchick said he's been more of receiving tight end.
"The biggest difference is kind of becoming more a blocker," said Kranchick, a sixth-round choice of the Pittsburgh Steelers out of Penn State in 2004. "With Ben and Dave and Garrett kind of being smaller tight ends, they want those guys to catch. I've been kind of playing the 'Y' tight end and showing I can block. That's something I'm excited to do."
In the Patriots' offensive scheme there is a "Y" tight end and an "F" tight end. The "Y" was the position Graham played most often. The 6-6, 280-pound Brady, who was signed from Jacksonville in the offseason, is supposed to fill that role.
Instead, while being sidelined with an injury he termed "manageable," Brady has become a mentor for Kranchick and Mills.
"Kyle is somebody from my hometown, someone from Penn State who I've looked up to my whole life," said Kranchick, who also had stints with the Giants and Buccaneers. "To be out here and practicing with him, it's pretty awesome. He's actually been coming out here a lot lately to help us out. It's been real nice to be around him and get some tips and learn from him because he's definitely one of the best in the game ever."
One tip the 13-year veteran gave Kranchick came in handy yesterday, when the team's early practice was restricted to first-year players, newcomers, and bubble men.
"He told me, 'You either practice with a point or you have a pointless practice,' " said Kranchick. "Right before I got out I just kind of made a mental note of some things I wanted to work on."
The Patriots' exhibition opener tomorrow at Tampa Bay has extra meaning for Kranchick because the Buccaneers are one of the teams that discarded him, during training camp last season.
"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it, let's put it that way," said Kranchick. "You got to think that you were better than what they thought and that given the opportunity you could have done better. You want to go out there and prove them wrong, but I also want to prove the people here right that have given me a shot."
That's what Kranchick and, to a lesser extent, Mills have gotten. If this were the regular season, then Belichick might have Christian Fauria on speed dial, but for now the situation is an evaluation tool.
"Any time there are fewer players at a position, that gives other players more playing time and more opportunity," said Belichick. "Sometimes that's an opening for a guy to show up positively and create something for himself."
Christopher L. Gasper can be reached at cgasper@globe.com. 