I think it’s always the preference to be able to run a healthy dose of multiple tight end sets. We’ve already heard plenty about the extra red zone work that Brady, Gronk and Chandler are putting in.
The simple truth is with teams playing more and more subpackages with smaller defensive backs, playing more 12 and 13 personnel enables the offense to dictate the terms. Gronk and Chandler are so ideal for this because they’re both huge and can also can also catch.
If the defense plays four DBs and stacks the box they’ll send Gronk and Chandler out and make linebackers/safeties cover them. If the defense plays with a light box, they’ll run. That’s the essence of the Patriots philosophy – attack the weakness and that’s what multiple tight ends allows them to do on offense.