NFL Trade Rumors: Could the New England Patriots Really End Up Moving Tight End Rob Gronkowski?
Recent rumor hinting that Gronkowski's unwillingness to fully commit to the Patriots next season is increasing the chances that he is eventually traded
Questions about the future of New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski have popped up this offseason.
Earlier this offseason, there were rumblings that perhaps the 28-year-old powerhouse could retire following some interesting comments he shared after "Super Bowl LII."
Some cryptic tweets that showed up on his official account only served to further fuel the speculation that he may be thinking about hanging up his cleats for good.
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The good news for Patriots fans is that those retirement talks have subsided, and it now seems like Gronkowski is coming back for at least one year, but apparently, there are still questions surrounding where he will play next season.
Via The Big Lead, a recent article from the Boston Sports Journal's Greg A. Bedard features some interesting comments that came from a "Bill Belichick-friendly source."
According to the source, once the Patriots head coach starts thinking about operating without a specific player, he has a tendency to "warm" to that idea.
There's a chance that this may be happening now with Gronkowski.
Because the star tight end has not really made it clear that he is fully committed to the team next season, Bedard's source noted that the odds of him being moved are now going up.
Belichick has certainly displayed a willingness to move on from players before they are widely seen as being past their prime, so it's not out of the realm of possibility that he does indeed trade Gronkowski.
Still, Gronkowski is not like most players Belichick has coached over the course of his stint with the Patriots.
Gronkowski can make a case for being the greatest tight end to ever play in the NFL.
He's capable of hauling in all kinds of passes thanks to his size and athleticism and he becomes a nearly unstoppable threat in the red zone. Gronkowski's not a slouch in the blocking department, too.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has also developed a good rapport with Gronkowski on the field. Brady consistently went to Gronkowski during the second half of "Super Bowl LII" and that shows that when the going gets tough, the quarterback counts on number 87 to get the job done.
It will be nearly impossible for the Patriots to find a player similar to Gronkowski who Brady also trusts completely during crunch time.
On top of that, the Patriots are also in win-now mode and trading away one of their best offensive players is not exactly a move that gets them closer to earning a return trip to the "Super Bowl." With Brady now in his 40s, the Patriots need to make the most out of their window of contention while it remains open. It will be easier for them to do that with Gronkowski still on the team.
In a different era for the Patriots, it may have made sense to trade Gronkowski, but for this current period, hanging on to him is what's best for the franchise.
More news about the latest NFL trade rumors should be made available soon.
