FOXBORO — There hasn’t been much room for tight ends to roam free against the Dallas defense in the Cowboys’ first four games of this season.

Opposing tight ends have been targeted 15 times for 10 catches and 76 yards as the Cowboys have done a good job of blanketing the top tight end targets of the Giants, Eagles, Falcons and Saints.

There’s the rub.

Those impressive performances came against tight ends Larry Donnell, Zach Ertz, Jacob Tamme and former Patriot Benjamin Watson.

The Cowboys’ defensive production wasn’t against Rob Gronkowski, and the Patriots are hoping to skew those numbers come Sunday in Dallas.

“They are prepared and they play a lot of man,” Gronkowski said yesterday about the Dallas defense. “You’ve got to be prepared for anyone from (Barry Church) to Bryon Jones to any linebacker at any time.”

The Cowboys dodged a bullet as starting linebacker Sean Lee returned to practice yesterday, just days after leaving the game against New Orleans with concussion symptoms. Lee’s return adds another element for the Cowboys in their defense against Gronkowski, as Lee always finds himself around the ball. His 12 interceptions since 2010 are the most by any linebacker, even though he missed 2014 with a torn ACL.

Featuring Gronkowski is what makes quarterback Tom Brady and the Patriots offense go. The All-Pro tight end has 16 catches and four touchdowns, so Dallas can expect him to be a focal point in their attack.

“You’ve just got to prepare for them the way that they cover, man or zone, and you’ve got to be prepared for any guy to be on you,” Gronkowki said.

Gronkowski prides himself in being a “true” tight end, who can excel in the run game as a blocker as well as be a force in catching the ball in the passing game, not just in the red zone but all over the field.

And the Patriots have done a good job of moving him around the last couple of years, whether they split him out wide on defensive backs or put him in the slot to go against linebackers in safeties.

“It’s cool. I just enjoy playing the game of football no matter where the coaches want me,” Gronkowski said. “It’s actually fun just going around learning new positions, going out wide, lining up at the tight end position, lining up at the slot. Whatever the coaches ask I’m willing to do.”

Gronkowski has enjoyed the extra preparation and studying that goes into learning a bigger part of the playbook. That knowledge has come with years and experience and being arguably the best tight end in the game doesn’t hurt either.

“You’ve got to be super smart,” Gronkowski said with a chuckle. “Definitely if I had to come in and learn what I know now my rookie year I definitely would say I wouldn’t be able to do it. Just being here for six years, just learning the playbook more and more you just expand your knowledge of the game, of the offense.”