Fansided

Buccaneers, Patriots both win big in Rob Gronkowski trade

By John Buhler

FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 26: Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots reacts with Tom Brady #12 after catching a touchdown pass during the third quarter of a game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 26: Rob Gronkowski #87 of the New England Patriots reacts with Tom Brady #12 after catching a touchdown pass during the third quarter of a game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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It’s good to be Rob Gronkowski. It’s also good to be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New England Patriots. Here is why they all win big in this trade.

Rob Gronkowski Tampa Bay beach party. Oh, yeah. It’s happening. Big time.

Days before the 2020 NFL Draft, we got a blockbuster trade nobody was even remotely expecting. It was awesome and one that both parties can be excited about. Gronkowski is coming out of retirement to reunite with Tom Brady on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fire the cannons, baby!

New England gets a fourth-round pick for a player who was never going to play another down for them. This is precious draft capital to, I don’t know, trade up and draft Brady’s successor in the top-10. It’s Musket Fire, baby!

Here is the exactly deal that went down, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Obviously, we’ve got some thoughts on this deal. Here are the winners and the losers of this trade.

Rob Gronkowski trade grades

Winner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Well, duh. The Buccaneers win big by prying Gronkowski out of retirement. He’s only in his early 30s and he’s excited about playing about reuniting with Brady in a much warmer climate. Gronkowski will bring a winning culture to a Tampa Bay team that doesn’t have one. Expect Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians to put Gronkowski right to work in this high-octane offense.

Grade: A

Winner: New England Patriots

Look. The Patriots knew Gronkowski was never going to play another snap for him. He’d rather do analyst work on FOX or wrestle in the WWE to play another game in frigid and not run New England. To get a fourth-round pick for a guy who had zero interest to ever play for you is a steal. Using that pick to go up and draft a franchise quarterback in the top 10 makes it worthwhile.

Grade: A

Winner: Rob Gronkowski

Gronkowski played his college football at Arizona most because U of A is an awesome party school and have you ever been to a Tucson pool party? Not only does Gronkowski get to play in Florida, but he gets to catch balls from Brady and contend for a Super Bowl right away in 2020. If he is not living his best life, what is living one’s best life, honestly?

Grade: A 69 overall grade rounded up to an A+

Slight Loser: FOX

FOX takes a slight L here because Gronkowski won’t be doing his thing on FOX telecasts any more. He was sort of almost figuring out how to be a halfway decent football analyst, but he sort of gave FOX the Jay Cutler treatment by leaving after only one year. Fortunately for FOX, Tampa Bay plays in the NFC and that means Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will call a ton of Buccaneers games.

Grade: A 69 overall grade, but what it actually is so like a D+ or something?

Next: 30 richest players in the NFL

Big Fat Stupid Loser: WWE

There are people who are having bad weeks and then there’s Vince McMahon. The XFL has been shutdown. McMahon had to let just about everybody associated with the XFL and did have to lay off some WWE employees. Now he’s seeing his golden ticket in Gronkowski waltz right back into the NFL to crush his empire’s soul. It’s been a BAD week up in Stamford, Conneticut.

Grade: Less than 0, F

It’s good to be Gronk.

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