Where Will We Sign Or Trade For Players

[SBLIII]

Interpretation: given how little fat he carried, that would be mostly muscle, which is a pretty good indication he's not maintaining himself for a return.

Others?

Yes. Judging from the pic I saw from him recently I guess he doesn't weigh more than 245 or so.

he isn't coming back. It's over.

 

[patfanken]

The two obvious gaps from the draft are DT and TE. I guess there are several fixes for both positions in a trade OR in FA.

Ideally adding Rudolph and McCoy would certainly ring a huge bell, but both those guys carry heavy cap hits that would make either a tough fit cap-wise, and both a virtual impossibility.

A more realistic set of additions would be Solomon Thomas via trade and Alan Bailey as a FA signing. I'd prefer the former for its upside potential, though the latter would be a low risk signing.

Maybe the trade could be for a player rather than a pick, say Dawson for Thomas, even up, or Crossen or Jones and a low 2020 pick. That fills a gap at DT by dropping a player at a position where we have an acute surplus.

As for TE, outside of Rudolph there isn't a real "major talent" option out there, and a Rudolph addition is unlikely at best. I think what we are going to see is what we currently have and THAT will cause us to have our big WR's running the TE routes that Gronk ran. Adjustments will need to be made, as they say. Let's not obsess on what we DON'T have, but rather figure out how we make it work with what we DO have. At least that's going to be the rationalization that I'm going to use to get me through.

 

[patman52]

Press conference? The team, Kraft and BB all posted lengthy official congratulations/gratitude/inmemoriam type messages on Gronk's retirement to the media and world. It's in the books.

(I'll be delighted to see Gronk suit up again, but "hope" sounds about the right amount of certainty at this point.)

Gronk has not filed his papers yet. If he played 10 years (this year) he also gets a retirement annuity in addition to the bump in pension for ten years of service. That might mean something to a guy that bragged about not cashing paychecks.

In September I can see him missing it and asking bill if he can come back for the playoff run in December. I don't think there is any chance that he pulls a Watson and changes his mind this spring though.

 

[LJRomanoff]

If he played 10 years (this year) he also gets a retirement annuity in addition to the bump in pension for ten years of service.

Any idea what the monetary value of that would be? I'm guessing Gronk showing up in the Hangover 4 (or whatever) would pay equally well.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

he also lost a ton of weight already

Thanks. I asked that question however I am not sure which thread.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Why so combative today? Of course there is no proof - none of us have that. However, Edelman thinks Gronk is coming back, do you think he’s being silly? His agent says there’s a possibility too. You want me to text Gronk to find out to satisfy you? And yeah he was slow last year, but you don’t think a 8-10 months of healing won’t help? The guy is 29 years old in the prime of his life. I think I’m being more realistic than the people here who think Ben Watson is a good possibility - a 38 year old coming off a major injury.

Combatitive? YOU continue to mark down MY posts without providing any substance.

Did you read the article I posted? Since his back problems began when he was a young man, he played on "borrowed time".

Reimer: Rob Gronkowski's unforgettable career was always on borrowed time

8-10 months did not heal him last year. He has stated that he wants to be able to walk
when he is older:
Reimer: Rob Gronkowski will not play football again, because he wants to be able to walk


Please actually read the articles I posted.
Please also post an article with Edelman's quote or an article suggesting he just needs time to heal.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Combatitive? YOU continue to mark down MY posts without providing any substance.

Did you read the article I posted? Since his back problems began when he was a young man, he played on "borrowed time".

Reimer: Rob Gronkowski's unforgettable career was always on borrowed time

8-10 months did not heal him last year. He has stated that he wants to be able to walk
when he is older:
Reimer: Rob Gronkowski will not play football again, because he wants to be able to walk


Please actually read the articles I posted.
Please also post an article with Edelman's quote or an article suggesting he just needs time to heal.

You believe something Alex Reimer posted? The same guy who called Brady’s kid an “annoying pissant?” I doubt anyone within the Patriots organization is close to him, especially after his embarrassing comments about Brady’s daughter. The video of Edelman saying he thinks Gronk will come back has been made public since the draft. Also, 8-10 months without training camp and preseason games may do his body wonders.

 

[goheels22002]

I don't want to extend McCourty or Hightower. McCourty doue to his age and Hightower not staying on the field.

It's not about whether they stay longer, it's about cap space. The Patriots are basically up against the cap, and need some flexibility to contemplate signing a veteran TE or a veteran LT. Personally, I don't think they need to do either.

I'm in the camp that believes that the TE position is not critical to move the ball. It's good enough to have a TE to draw coverage in the Red Zone. The Patriots have plenty of skill players with diverse talent to move the football, particularly at running back with addition of Harris to Michel, White, Develin, and Burkhead.

LT is an entirely different story. Dante has small flashmob of tackles on the roster to start OTAs. While they might able to break into a rendition of Mama Mia to fill a train station, it's unclear that any one of them can be trusted with TFB's blind side. At 42, they cannot take a risk with Brady's health. They should be probing every opportunity for a reliable LT.

 

[goheels22002]

Combatitive? YOU continue to mark down MY posts without providing any substance.

Did you read the article I posted? Since his back problems began when he was a young man, he played on "borrowed time".

Reimer: Rob Gronkowski's unforgettable career was always on borrowed time

8-10 months did not heal him last year. He has stated that he wants to be able to walk
when he is older:
Reimer: Rob Gronkowski will not play football again, because he wants to be able to walk


Please actually read the articles I posted.
Please also post an article with Edelman's quote or an article suggesting he just needs time to heal.

Chill. Cats aren't his thing. He's a dog person...a slow dog person.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Chill. Cats aren't his thing. He's a dog person...a slow dog person.

I'm not upset. I want substance.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

You believe something Alex Reimer posted? The same guy who called Brady’s kid an “annoying pissant?” I doubt anyone within the Patriots organization is close to him, especially after his embarrassing comments about Brady’s daughter. The video of Edelman saying he thinks Gronk will come back has been made public since the draft. Also, 8-10 months without training camp and preseason games may do his body wonders.

Please tell me where his FACTS are wrong.
He provides details regarding Gronks's injuries...
I wish there was a way we could place a bet....

Take a look at:


Rob Gronkowski injury history and analysis

 

[supafly]

Thanks. I asked that question however I am not sure which thread.

You asked it here, but I’d love to know what that poster’s idea of “losing a ton of weight, already” encompasses.

Gronk is about 6’6” and 260 lbs. If he has “lost a ton of weight, already” he’s going to be one tall and skinny dude who apparently doesn’t wish to keep working out to retain his bulk. I’d love to know what this means and see some pictures. He didn’t look that different when we saw him last week at the Bruins game, did he?

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Please tell me where his FACTS are wrong.
He provides details regarding Gronks's injuries...
I wish there was a way we could place a bet....

Take a look at:


Rob Gronkowski injury history and analysis

You are making a quantum leap from what Reimer posted regarding his injury history to “Gronk is too injured to ever come back.” I am merely basing my opinion that he is returning based off of Edelman’s video and a few other hints. You would think the Pats would hold a farewell press conference for the greatest tight end in NFL history retiring, but they didn’t. No one at this point has definitive facts about him coming back or not. My comments were opinion and you uncharacteristically jump all over me.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

You are making a quantum leap from what Reimer posted regarding his injury history to “Gronk is too injured to ever come back.” I am merely basing my opinion that he is returning based off of Edelman’s video and a few other hints. You would think the Pats would hold a farewell press conference for the greatest tight end in NFL history retiring, but they didn’t. No one at this point has definitive facts about him coming back or not. My comments were opinion and you uncharacteristically jump all over me.

I did not "jump all over" you. You have an opinion and it is based 100% on speculation and emotion. Right now the FACT is he has retired so who is making the quantum leap?

Have the Patriots traditionally held farewell press conferences for departing players? There is still plenty of time for them to find a way to honor him.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

You asked it here, but I’d love to know what that poster’s idea of “losing a ton of weight, already” encompasses.

Gronk is about 6’6” and 260 lbs. If he has “lost a ton of weight, already” he’s going to be one tall and skinny dude who apparently doesn’t wish to keep working out to retain his bulk. I’d love to know what this means and see some pictures. He didn’t look that different when we saw him last week at the Bruins game, did he?

Ok. Time will certainly tell. He will in all likelihood continue to work out however maintaining mass will not be a priority.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

By the way @TommyBrady12 I am not angry over this.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Have the Patriots traditionally held farewell press conferences for departing players? There is still plenty of time for them to find a way to honor him.

Bruschi was given a farewell press conference almost immediately after he told the team

 

[patman52]

Any idea what the monetary value of that would be? I'm guessing Gronk showing up in the Hangover 4 (or whatever) would pay equally well.

The Nfl pension is weak. But it is more money than what I get that is for sure. I think someone with 10 years gets close to 80,000 a year and that doubles with the annuity. This is after age 60. as far as the off the field earnings I don't see how him playing/Working out 15 weeks a year. Puts a damper on the outside earnings. I would take the opposite tack and say that being an active member of the NFL enhances it. Gronks roles for the next couple of years will probable consist of a hundred lines of dialog.

 

[patman52]

It's not about whether they stay longer, it's about cap space. The Patriots are basically up against the cap, and need some flexibility to contemplate signing a veteran TE or a veteran LT. Personally, I don't think they need to do either.

I'm in the camp that believes that the TE position is not critical to move the ball. It's good enough to have a TE to draw coverage in the Red Zone. The Patriots have plenty of skill players with diverse talent to move the football, particularly at running back with addition of Harris to Michel, White, Develin, and Burkhead.

LT is an entirely different story. Dante has small flashmob of tackles on the roster to start OTAs. While they might able to break into a rendition of Mama Mia to fill a train station, it's unclear that any one of them can be trusted with TFB's blind side. At 42, they cannot take a risk with Brady's health. They should be probing every opportunity for a reliable LT.

Agreed, I think Donald Penn is the perfect fit for this need.

 

[supafly]

Yes. Judging from the pic I saw from him recently I guess he doesn't weigh more than 245 or so.

he isn't coming back. It's over.

While I’d probably tend to agree with you that he isn’t coming back, he certainly has the capacity to add a solid 10 lbs within a month or so. Also, you seem to be guessing a bit at the 245 lb mark, anyway.