Rob Gronkowski is on injured reserve, following his third back surgery since 2009. He might be the first NFL player to have undergone three different surgeries on his spine. Needless to say, it’s raised questions about his future in New England.
Rob Gronkowski still has a future with the Patriots
Despite having his third back surgery in 2009, the Patriots sound intent on keeping him around for the future.
Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images
For now, the Patriots see Gronk as part of the team in 2017 and beyond. They have never had trade talks and don’t intend to engage in them anytime soon, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
There is some belief that he could start the 2017 preseason on the PUP list, though Gronk is fully committed to his rehab.
”I highly appreciate the support from all my teammates, friends and family and the courage to stay strong. I am excited to knock this rehab out and get this core extra strong and looking super fresh to get this body back out on the field,” he said in a statement to Jay Glazer.
The Patriots are notoriously unsentimental about keeping players. Nobody, except Brady, is immune from release or trade. The good news/bad news for Gronk and the Pats is that the six-year deal he signed in 2012 makes him one of the most affordable superstars in the game. His cap hit for 2017 is just $7 million, and he’s under contract through 2019.
The Patriots picked up his contract earlier this year, which prompted Gronk to tweet about being underpaid.
It would be difficult for Gronk to command a better deal until he can establish that he’s fully recovered. And he may never be fully recovered.
In the meantime, the Patriots sound confident that they’ll be fine without Gronk on the field. After all, they survived four games without Tom Brady.
If they can make a Super Bowl run this season, it becomes easier to justify parting ways eventually. On the other hand, players like Gronk are special. Not even a team like the Patriots can replace him until they have a backup plan in place.
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