New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is back on the trading block until there's a resolution in his contract status
Cheap Marquis Haynes Jersey , according to an AFC executive."Where's the restructure of his contract?"?the executive said, per Greg A. Bedard of the
Boston Sports Journal. (via WEEI's Ryan Hannable).?"Until that's done, I think
he's still available. I wouldn't be surprised if (Bill) Belichick is going to
test Gronk's buy-in with the contract."Gronkowski, 29, hinted at retirement
after the team's Super Bowl 52 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.?Reports began to
surface that he was unhappy playing under head coach Bill Belichick, and
Gronkowski was mentioned heavily in trade rumors before and after the NFL
draft.The two-time Super Bowl champion signed a six-year extension worth $54
million in 2012, which is now a major bargain for the Patriots. Gronk will make
just $8 million in 2018 and $9 million the following season, per
Spotrac.com.Gronkowski hasn't taken part in the team's offseason workouts, a
clear sign that he wants a new contract. But Belichick has a long history of
parting ways with key players if they demand too much money.Most recently,
standout defensive players Jamie Collins, Chandler Jones and star receiver
Brandin Cooks?have been dealt in their contract years by Belichick, who opts to
receive draft picks rather than pay top dollar for some of his top talents.
Gronkowski has been the NFL's best tight end since he broke into the league
eight years ago. He has 76 career touchdown receptions in just 102
games
P.J. Hall Raiders Jersey , and has been named to five Pro Bowls.Trading Gronk would undoubtedly hurt New England's chances of winning another Super Bowl, but
Belichick has found countless ways to replace elite talents. Nobody in
Foxborough should doubt Belichick, but trading the league's top tight end in his
prime would still cause plenty of eyebrow raising. Perhaps Ozzie Newsome will be
filled with emotion and just a bit of sadness in the weeks ahead as he prepares
for his final NFL draft as general manager of the Baltimore Ravens.
For now, however, he won't allow his mind to be cluttered with thoughts other than landing the very best players the college game has to offer.
"It's all about the preparation and it's all about who is the player that we're going to take with that first-round pick ??if we pick in the first round,"
Newsome said Wednesday.
Newsome ??the only GM the Ravens have ever had ??will step down after the upcoming season. He's been overseeing the draft since 1996, and now he's got one
more chance to garner some talent for a team that has won two Super Bowls under
his watch.
It's the end of an era, one that started when Art Modell brought his Cleveland Browns to Baltimore and put Newsome in charge of building a
winner.
"I really haven't thought about that. I've been more just preparing for this draft," Newsome insisted. "What's going to occur a year from now is not in my
thought process. It's just making this the best draft that we can this year.
That's what's been my focus."
Newsome spoke while sitting at a table with his successor-in-waiting, assistant GM Eric DeCosta, head coach John Harbaugh and director of college
scouting Joe Hortiz.
Behind the foursome was a montage of many of Newsome's greatest picks, including Hall of Famers Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis as well as Ed
Reed
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Recently, though, there have been a few misfires ??most notably receiver Breshad Perriman at No. 26 in 2015, tight end Maxx Williams at No. 55 that same
season and safety Matt Elam at No. 32 in 2013.
That's one big reason why the Ravens haven't made the playoffs over three straight seasons, and why Newsome doesn't have time for nostalgia as he nears
the April 26-28 draft armed with the 16th overall pick.
"When we were having success, we were getting all the credit," Newsome said. "When we're not having success, we take all the blame. It falls right on
me."
The 62-year-old Newsome will stay on board after this season as an adviser, according to owner Steve Bisciotti.
DeCosta, 46, has been waiting to take over for years now. He spurned several offers from other teams along the way, and Bisciotti finally decided that it was
time to make the switch.
DeCosta
Authentic Joseph Noteboom Jersey , like Newsome, has no time to think about the ramifications of the transition.
"That's still in the future. Honestly, the best thing I can do is take care of today and this process, this draft, for the future," DeCosta said. "We're
really focused on this. We've got an opportunity here to really fix our team,
which we need to do.
"This draft has a lot of significance, not because it's Ozzie's last draft, but because it's the draft that we have right now. We've got a great
opportunity. We don't want to blow it."
As a player, Newsome was a Hall of Fame tight end with the Browns. Since 1996, he's gotten a thrill out of choosing from the best college talent in the
world.
"From the very first draft, I had the same anticipation
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first NFL game," Newsome said. "All the work is done, and then you have this
moment where you have to pull the trigger, you have to perform."
Next year, it will be DeCosta's turn ??with help from his mentor.
"Over the last 22 years, probably the most rewarding thing has been working with Ozzie, and I don't see that changing," DeCosta said. "We're a family. We
want to win. I've got probably the best GM in the history of football ??at least
one of the top five ??and I hope he always stays."
.
