5 potential trade destinations for Rob Gronkowski

4. Detroit Lions

There are New England ties in Detroit, in general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia. The Lions also cut top tight end Eric Ebron, and they’ve replaced him in free agency with volume (Luke Willson, Levine Toilolo) more than quality.

The Lions don’t have much salary cap space right now (just shy of $10.8 million, via Over The Cap). But a $17.1 million commitment to defensive end Ziggy Ansah is tied to the franchise tag, which he has not yet signed. Rescinding the tag if Ansah goes awhile longer without signing the tender is unlikely, but not totally unprecedented, and Detroit could free up some space by doing that or getting a long-term deal done with Ansah.

The Lions have not had a consistent threat from the tight end position with Matthew Stafford as their quarterback. Adding Gronkowski to a solid group of wide receivers, and a high-level pass catching back in Theo Riddick, would create a significant headache for opposing defenses. As a former defensive coordinator Patricia would surely appreciate that more than most, and the broader familiarity he and Quinn have with Gronkowski should foster some interest from the Lions.