5 free agents the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can’t afford to lose
4. TE Rob Gronkowski
Gronkowski came out of retirement to reunite with Tom Brady, and he was fairly productive while playing all 16 games and 75 percent of the snaps (45 catches for 623 yards and seven touchdowns). He has answered the question about wanting to come back next year.
“I feel like this team was built to win right now. It was put together this year to win right now,” Gronkowski said. “I could definitely see this team having a lot of talent come back and having another successful run next year, as well, with me.”
Even if he’s not catching a ton of passes, Gronkowski is still a stout blocker and at times functions as a third offensive tackle.
Here's another example to why @RobGronkowski is an HOFer as both a Receiving TE and a Blocking TE.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 10, 2021
Look at him blocking the DE here on this touchdown run at the goalline.https://t.co/GrwCY0ebQM
A year out seems to have brought Gronkowski’s joy of playing football back, to say nothing of the physical rest and recovery he had. By all accounts, primarily his own, he doesn’t need to keep playing for the money. It’ll certainly be Tampa Bay or nowhere for him next year (or beyond, for as long as Brady plays?), and the feeling should be mutual.