Source — Patriots trade Rob Gronkowski to Buccaneers for 4th-round pick

The New England Patriots have agreed to trade Rob Gronkowski to the Buccaneers in a offer that reunites the retired limited close with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay.

Gronkowski’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, claimed Tuesday on SportsCenter that the 5-time Professional Bowler has been “truly invigorated” physically because he retired from soccer practically 13 months back.

“He tells me he feels superb, the ideal he’s at any time felt,” Rosenhaus claimed. “His weight’s again up to 260. He passed his physical with flying colors currently. He is just truly energized about playing soccer yet again, and remaining in Florida is exciting for him.”

Gronkowski informed Fox Sports activities in a textual content information: “I’m again. I normally claimed when I have that sensation and it feels correct, I will be all set to acquire the subject yet again. And I have that sensation. I’m all set.”

Participant TDs
Rob Gronkowski 78
Randy Moss 39
Julian Edelman 36
Wes Welker 34
— ESPN Stats & Information and facts

Gronkowski, who turns 31 future month, has 1 12 months and $nine million remaining on his current offer with the Patriots.

The Buccaneers announced the specifics of the trade in a news launch Tuesday. New England will get a fourth-spherical pick (No. 139 over-all) in the NFL draft, and the Buccaneers will get a seventh-spherical pick (No. 241 over-all) in the trade.

“Rob Gronkowski is 1 of the ideal limited finishes in NFL historical past and he plays the game with the variety of enthusiasm and wish that sets him apart,” Buccaneers standard manager Jason Licht claimed in a statement. “Rob has performed his whole job together with Tom Brady, and their accomplishments discuss for by themselves. Alongside one another they have developed the variety of chemistry on and off the subject that is very important to success.”

Tampa Bay was the only staff Gronkowski was keen to close his retirement to engage in for, a league source informed Schefter.

Rosenhaus also observed on SportsCenter that “playing with Tom Brady clearly is large” and claimed Gronkowski contacted him about signing up for Brady soon following the star quarterback remaining the Patriots for the Buccaneers final month.

“Shortly following Tom Brady went to Tampa, Rob and I had a conversation that this is a predicament that would be appealing to him,” Rosenhaus claimed. “Certainly, this was a offer that New England had to feel very good about, Tampa had to feel very good about. This was not just about Rob. All the parties associated had to be in arrangement.”

Gronkowski announced his retirement on March 24, 2019, following a 9-12 months job during which he gained a few Super Bowls with New England and was 1 of the league’s most colourful personalities.

Like Brady, Gronkowski has not performed for any staff other than the Patriots.

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“He enjoys New England,” Rosenhaus claimed. “He enjoys the Patriots corporation, coach [Bill] Belichick, the Krafts, his teammates that are continue to there. He had an astounding run in New England.

“It was just time for him to continue on his job with Tom Brady in Florida, with Tampa. It was one thing great and exciting and demanding to him. He is very well-rested and hunting forward to playing with Tom yet again.”

New England lovers could have a likelihood to check out Gronkowski and Brady up close yet again if they are both continue to with the Bucs in 2021, when Tampa Bay is scheduled to engage in the Patriots in Foxborough.

Brady, who signed a two-12 months offer worth $50 million with Tampa Bay, will delight in arguably his ideal selection of passing targets in much more than a ten years with Gronkowski now in the fold. Tampa Bay has O.J. Howard, the issue of a number of latest trade rumors, and Cameron Brate at limited close and Professional Bowl huge receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.

Licht was questioned about Gronkowski during his pre-draft news conference final week.

“Effectively, he’s accomplishing a rather very good position with WrestleMania correct now,” Licht claimed, referring to Gronkowski’s 24/seven title gained before this month at WrestleMania 36. “I have no idea if he would want to engage in. I will keep this on the draft correct now because that is like asking about a different player on a different roster.”

Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians is not known for comprehensive use of the limited close in the vertical passing game, but the trade is an case in point of how Brady’s existence could influence Arians’ playbook. Arians and Brady have both described how energized they are to collaborate.

The Patriots presently have two limited finishes on their roster — Matt LaCosse and Ryan Izzo — and the position assignments as 1 of their top needs.

The Patriots very own the No. 23 pick in the draft and then don’t pick yet again right up until 87th over-all, in the 3rd spherical.

Information of Tuesday’s trade impacted futures betting on the Buccaneers at Caesars Sportsbook, wherever Tampa Bay’s odds of profitable the Super Bowl improved from seventeen-1 to fourteen-1. The Bucs’ odds of profitable the NFC also a little improved from 8-1 to seven-1 at Caesars.

ESPN’s Jenna Laine and Mike Reiss contributed to this report.