TE Rob Gronkowski (2 Viewers)

[Tool]

I can kind of see why Gronk and family are no longer listening to the Patriots...

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has had four surgeries on the arm that he broke last November and hasn't played yet this season. According to one report, though, he could have returned earlier if the Patriots had allowed the break to heal on its own.


Rob Gronkowski played his last game for the Patriots on Jan. 13, breaking his arm in a playoff win against the Texans. A week later, New England was… Read…
To recap: Gronk originally broke the arm against the Colts in November. The Patriots and he opted to surgically install a plate so he'd ideally be back for the playoffs; the surgery was performed by Patriots doctor Tom Gill. Gronk broke the same arm again in the Patriots' playoff game against the Texans. Over the offseason, the plate created an infection, so Gronk went back for surgery to clean it out. In total, Gronk underwent three additional surgeries on his arm before it was clean. It was a long summer. But this report from Mike Petraglia of WEEI uses sources who claim that Gronk might have returned sooner if the arm break healed by itself:

So, reportedly, Gill's hasty surgery compromised what could have been a much easier recovery for Gronk. Dr. James Andrews, who didn't perform any of the surgeries, will make the final decision about Gronk's availability this week, not Gill. The Patriots kept Gronk off of the revocable IR in hopes of his return; he still hasn't played a snap. If Gronk ends up not returning this week, this all seems even dumber.

One source with direct knowledge of the initial forearm surgery told WEEI.com Thursday night that there is “serious concern” about the integrity of the bone where the implement was placed and the surrounding nerves. The source indicated that if the bone had healed on its own without an implement, there would have been no infection. However, there now are concerns that an abscess developed, causing infection and seriously weakening the bone. This prompted three more surgeries in the offseason on the forearm, separate from the procedure on his back.

 

[MoveToSkypager]

The NFLPA filed a grievance against the Patriots physician. I wouldn't trust them either.

 

[fantasycurse42]

He could be gone for the season, people.

#### Me, I kinda agree

 

[Gopher State]

He could be gone for the season, people.

Every passing week the odds of him not playing increase, I think he has a 50 percent chance of playing this season. Not good, and I took him in the 5th round of my money league, time to move on. Lesson learned don't draft in FF injured players before their cleared to play

 

[KellysHeroes]

One would think he already had a setback.

I do

 

[KellysHeroes]

Traded him for Nicks over the off-season, people said I was stupid and I know Nicks hasn't been a world beater but atleast I been able to plug him in my line up... feel good about that trade

 

[menobrown]

He could be gone for the season, people.

Possible and if so I'll raise the stakes higher. If he's been cleared by Patriots medical or coaching staff and ends up missing the season because of distrust towards Pat's medical staff or just simply not feeling comfortable I think the Patriots will move on without their celebrity TE in a permanent fashion.

 

[jabarony]

I haven't thought seriously about this, but I'll pop-off anyhow - If the concern is a re-break of the forearm, why not just give him a guard (like a soccer shinguard) around his whole forearm? Put some padding around it so the refs/opposing players can't claim it's a club. Then just make sure he carries the ball with his opposite arm.

Also, I'm a bit surprised if it's just the risk of a re-break, that he isn't out there, anyways. Guys risk a lot more than an arm to get back out there (head, neck...). Not stating he should - not my arm, just a bit surprised he doesn't want to based on the NFL culture. I'm guessing his future quality of life is more at risk with any other type of potential injury (head/neck/knee/back...) that has yet to occur to him, than it would be for him breaking his arm again.

Also, he's not really fighting for his job, so the pressure to get back isn't as much for other guys. Has he gotten a big contract already?

 

[PatsWillWin]

I can kind of see why Gronk and family are no longer listening to the Patriots...

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has had four surgeries on the arm that he broke last November and hasn't played yet this season. According to one report, though, he could have returned earlier if the Patriots had allowed the break to heal on its own.

Rob Gronkowski played his last game for the Patriots on Jan. 13, breaking his arm in a playoff win against the Texans. A week later, New England was… Read…
To recap: Gronk originally broke the arm against the Colts in November. The Patriots and he opted to surgically install a plate so he'd ideally be back for the playoffs; the surgery was performed by Patriots doctor Tom Gill. Gronk broke the same arm again in the Patriots' playoff game against the Texans. Over the offseason, the plate created an infection, so Gronk went back for surgery to clean it out. In total, Gronk underwent three additional surgeries on his arm before it was clean. It was a long summer. But this report from Mike Petraglia of WEEI uses sources who claim that Gronk might have returned sooner if the arm break healed by itself:

So, reportedly, Gill's hasty surgery compromised what could have been a much easier recovery for Gronk. Dr. James Andrews, who didn't perform any of the surgeries, will make the final decision about Gronk's availability this week, not Gill. The Patriots kept Gronk off of the revocable IR in hopes of his return; he still hasn't played a snap. If Gronk ends up not returning this week, this all seems even dumber.

One source with direct knowledge of the initial forearm surgery told WEEI.com Thursday night that there is “serious concern” about the integrity of the bone where the implement was placed and the surrounding nerves. The source indicated that if the bone had healed on its own without an implement, there would have been no infection. However, there now are concerns that an abscess developed, causing infection and seriously weakening the bone. This prompted three more surgeries in the offseason on the forearm, separate from the procedure on his back.

If he really blames the Patriots for this, I think it's a little dumb, for two reasons:

1) Obviously he had to have consented to have the surgery. I'm sure he wanted to get back and play quickly, just as the Patriots wanted him to. I don't know how he can blame the Patriots for this since he was in on it, unless of course they somehow misrepresented the situation or it was a Friday-Night-Lights pressure thing, which there's been no indication of.

2) Infections can happen any time there's a surgery, no matter what. Sure, if Gill had the surgery done in his basement with a rusty instruments and was sneezing into Gronk's arm the whole time, that sucks. Otherwise, infections, nasty infections, happen all the time. Nothing you can do about it other than minimize the chances best you can.

 

[PatsWillWin]

Some of the local guys have said that players have told them that he is a full participant at practice, and has been for weeks. He's doing what everyone else is, contact and everything. Many players think he looks normal, and are confused about why he's not playing. If there is "serious concern" about the "integrity" of the arm, why the crap would he be running around in full (somewhat full, anyway) contact practice?

 

[bostonfred]

Some of the local guys have said that players have told them that he is a full participant at practice, and has been for weeks. He's doing what everyone else is, contact and everything. Many players think he looks normal, and are confused about why he's not playing. If there is "serious concern" about the "integrity" of the arm, why the crap would he be running around in full (somewhat full, anyway) contact practice?

He's not going to hurt his arm in practice. Nobody on his own team is deliberately trying to hurt his injured arm in practice. In a game, if he's got the ball, they're going to hack at his arm like nobody's business. In practice, he might hold back on diving for a ball in traffic. In a game, he would be more likely to dive and risk landing awkwardly on his arm.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

Plus, they probably don't practice the extra point formation much.

 

[GoBirds]

Grow some balls Gronk lets go already.

 

[MoveToSkypager]

He could be gone for the season, people.

Possible and if so I'll raise the stakes higher. If he's been cleared by Patriots medical or coaching staff and ends up missing the season because of distrust towards Pat's medical staff or just simply not feeling comfortable I think the Patriots will move on without their celebrity TE in a permanent fashion.

Maybe that's what he wants.

 

[Half in the bag]

I can kind of see why Gronk and family are no longer listening to the Patriots...

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has had four surgeries on the arm that he broke last November and hasn't played yet this season. According to one report, though, he could have returned earlier if the Patriots had allowed the break to heal on its own.

Rob Gronkowski played his last game for the Patriots on Jan. 13, breaking his arm in a playoff win against the Texans. A week later, New England was… Read…
To recap: Gronk originally broke the arm against the Colts in November. The Patriots and he opted to surgically install a plate so he'd ideally be back for the playoffs; the surgery was performed by Patriots doctor Tom Gill. Gronk broke the same arm again in the Patriots' playoff game against the Texans. Over the offseason, the plate created an infection, so Gronk went back for surgery to clean it out. In total, Gronk underwent three additional surgeries on his arm before it was clean. It was a long summer. But this report from Mike Petraglia of WEEI uses sources who claim that Gronk might have returned sooner if the arm break healed by itself:

So, reportedly, Gill's hasty surgery compromised what could have been a much easier recovery for Gronk. Dr. James Andrews, who didn't perform any of the surgeries, will make the final decision about Gronk's availability this week, not Gill. The Patriots kept Gronk off of the revocable IR in hopes of his return; he still hasn't played a snap. If Gronk ends up not returning this week, this all seems even dumber.

One source with direct knowledge of the initial forearm surgery told WEEI.com Thursday night that there is “serious concern” about the integrity of the bone where the implement was placed and the surrounding nerves. The source indicated that if the bone had healed on its own without an implement, there would have been no infection. However, there now are concerns that an abscess developed, causing infection and seriously weakening the bone. This prompted three more surgeries in the offseason on the forearm, separate from the procedure on his back.

where the f was this info six weeks ago? If any of this is true it looks worse than has been let on. A plate was installed that wasn't necessary and caused an infection that jeopardized his arm...wtf?

 

[PatsWillWin]

Some of the local guys have said that players have told them that he is a full participant at practice, and has been for weeks. He's doing what everyone else is, contact and everything. Many players think he looks normal, and are confused about why he's not playing. If there is "serious concern" about the "integrity" of the arm, why the crap would he be running around in full (somewhat full, anyway) contact practice?

He's not going to hurt his arm in practice. Nobody on his own team is deliberately trying to hurt his injured arm in practice. In a game, if he's got the ball, they're going to hack at his arm like nobody's business. In practice, he might hold back on diving for a ball in traffic. In a game, he would be more likely to dive and risk landing awkwardly on his arm.

You can't say that definitively. He's running around full speed with a bunch of NFL players. He doesn't need to get lit up to break his arm if there are "integrity" issues. Slipping while running a route and falling the wrong way is a risk.

Either his arm is healed, or it isn't. Or more specifically, they either have doubts about it being healed, or they don't. I don't understand the middleground.

 

[Arwald]

Team Gronk wanted that he stays on the PUP list and comes back in week 7, while the Patriots wanted him to come back much earlier. If he doesn't play this week I'm pretty confident he will next week, because then team Gronk has shown the patriots that they are the stronger party in this struggle.

 

[MoveToSkypager]

Deep seeded?

 

[Tool]

.... team Gronk has shown the patriots that they are the stronger party in this struggle.

I'm not sure that's true for the long term. In most cases, players have more incentive to rush back onto the field, but given some of the negative aspects of Gronkowski's contract ( it's just not sensible for the Patriots to not pick up his 2015 option barring something major happening to Gronk), in effect, like MJD, there is more incentive for Gronk to take it easy, heal slow and steady and guard his health. When a player isn't playing for his next contract, he's got no reason to fear being Wally Pipp'ed. For all intents and purposes, that current Gronk contract will likely choke out the rest of his football career.

The Patriots have shown, sadly, though, a tendency to let contract matters seep into on the field matters. Welker was benched last year, he wasn't happy that he wasn't getting an extension offer he thought was worth it, the Patriots weren't happy he didn't sign what they offered him. So they tried to devalue him when he did hit the open market. The union right now has to petition for Hernandez, because the Patriots refuse to pay him for service time accrued this preseason. It's Kraft trying to make a PR point, but the reality is when an employee works, he has to be paid for the time he put in. All the Patriots and Kraft are doing now is prolonging an eventual conflict with the Players Union, who want to be done and rid of the Hernandez situation. Christian Peter was given word, vouch and bond that he would be given a clean slate as a draft pick. Until Myra Kraft meddled and got her nose involved and turned the Christian Peter into a PR firestorm. I have no problem with a franchise not wanting to draft and deal with problem type players with character concerns. However when "word and bond" are given you are going to give a kid a clean slate, then the PR cost ends up too high, you can't just cut the kid. Peter remains the only person ever drafted by an NFL team who did not participate in their respective training camp. Even Maurice Clarett lasted like a week before he got clipped.

The Ravens are one of the franchises that has had to make some tough choices over the years. However, for the most part, they don't try to railroad their players and get the situation bloody. There is ZERO reason for the Patriots to go to war with the Players Union over Hernandez's pay that they are withholding. Cut your losses and be done with it. Sorry but the Patriots of late just seem to reek of the same kind of War With Your Players Mentality that the Eagles had, and it cost them in the future in terms of negotiating with their own players and other free agents. It's not enough to just win the conflict, there is some deep seeded need to roll around in it too. Adding a provision for Logan Mankins to call Robert Kraft to apologize as part of a new contract is egregious. Really what is wrong with Boston? Can any kind of pro athlete there walk out or leave or be traded without the added acrimony and public shaming and attempts at just raw humiliation? Did Terry Francona really need to be railroaded on his way out? Did the Patriots really need to hatchet out on Welker at the end?

There's the part of the Patriots I admire. The efficient team oriented franchise trying to all unify towards excellence. Then there's the part that needlessly self inflicts problems and issues when none is needed. Running up the scores in 2007 wasn't needed. Nothing good was going to come out of that.

The Patriots are going to end up with the kind of reputation the Eagles sorely want to be rid of now. Just because you can win a conflict doesn't mean the right move is to keep twisting the person's arm until they scream Uncle for you. There's a certain vanity in constantly walking into conflict for the bounty of some kind of self validation that is irrelevant to winning football games.

I'm trying to get to your point and i'm not sure i've been able to.

You say Gronk wants a new contract but then say that he's not playing for his next contract. And when you say the contract will choke out his career, i'm not sure i get that either. I understand that if he is outplaying his contract he'll be underpaid, but doesn't he have some leverage at that point to renegotiate a new one?

 

[MCguidance]

Any news?

 

[fantasycurse42]

Any news?

Nothing new today. I'm sure you read all the reports yesterday and some covered in the thread. Doesn't look good - certainly not for this week and possibly for many more.

 

[Bob Barker]

I dont have him or Brady in any leagues, Im hoping hes out for the year

 

[fantasycurse42]

I dont have him or Brady in any leagues, Im hoping hes out for the year

Great addition to the thread genius.

 

[RenegadeGM]

Ugh, can we stop with the whole "Team Gronk" thing? Awful.

 

[Tool]

I dont have him or Brady in any leagues, Im hoping hes out for the year

i don't get anything out of your posts. I hope you break your wrist so you can't type anything until the season's over.

 

[cstu]

I'm trying to get to your point and i'm not sure i've been able to.

You say Gronk wants a new contract but then say that he's not playing for his next contract. And when you say the contract will choke out his career, i'm not sure i get that either. I understand that if he is outplaying his contract he'll be underpaid, but doesn't he have some leverage at that point to renegotiate a new one?

Let me sum it up for you - Gronk is on a relatively cheap ($4.5M average) contract through 2015, but then the Patriots have to decide whether to give him a $10M option bonus in 2016. If they decide to keep him his contract averages $9M for the next 4 seasons. The Patriots could cut him at that time and only take a $1.6M cap hit.

 

[jvdesigns2002]

He could be gone for the season, people.

Because Mommy and Daddy wont let him play?

I'm not sure if I disagree about him possibly missing the entire season. If the reports are true about the structural integrity of his forearm being in question--I don't see how him sitting an extra week or 2 would really make that much of a difference. I drafted him in one redraft league--and I'm starting to regret it--although I have Jordan Cameron in that league too. In any case--I see one of two things happening here. If there is indeed concern about the structural integrity of his forearm--I'd basically expect this to be a lost season for him. If that story is over-exaggerated--then maybe he comes back week 7 or 8--but for fantasy purposes--that probably only gives Gronk owners the possibility of 5-6 solid weeks of play---which is not much more than a lost season anyhow.

 

[cstu]

He could be gone for the season, people.

Because Mommy and Daddy wont let him play?

I'm not sure if I disagree about him possibly missing the entire season. If the reports are true about the structural integrity of his forearm being in question--I don't see how him setting an extra week or 2 would really make that much of a difference. I drafted him in one redraft league--and I'm starting to regret it--although I have Jordan Cameron in that league too. In any case--I see one of two things happening here. If there is indeed concern about the structural integrity of his forearm--I'd basically expect this to be a lost season for him. If that story is over-exaggerated--then maybe he comes back week 7 or 8--but for fantasy purposes--that probably only gives Gronk owners the possibility of 5-6 solid weeks of play---which is not much more than a lost season anyhow.

With the Patriots looking like they can with the division without him there's no need for them to rush him back. Unless I'm 100% sure he's not going to re-injure his arm then I hold him out until the playoffs if I'm the Patriots.

 

[Breesisdaman]

Team Gronk always pushed for a week 7 return. I wonder if they still are.

 

[KellysHeroes]

so basically, he got paid

 

[Sarnoff]

Any news?

Yeah the same idiot has the keys to the Gordon Gekko account, but his schtick actually suckers people in here in the Shart Pool unlike how badly it fails in the FFA.

 

[T with T]

Team Gronk always pushed for a week 7 return. I wonder if they still are.

sources???? I remember all along it was withing first three weeks... Then week 4 at home vs the Falcons.. Then week 6 at home vs Saints for sure. Now week 7 was the target date all along? I would like to see some definitive sources or explanation as to why you picked week 7 and not say week 4,8,9,10????

 

[menobrown]

With the Patriots looking like they can with the division without him there's no need for them to rush him back. Unless I'm 100% sure he's not going to re-injure his arm then I hold him out until the playoffs if I'm the Patriots.

No offense but I think there are multiple reasons this has absolutely nothing to do with why he is not playing.

 

[Faust]

Rotoworld:

According to the Boston Globe, Rob Gronkowski's (arm surgeries) return date is "mostly up to Gronkowski" because the Patriots have cleared him to play.
Gronk's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, uses Dr. James Andrews for second opinions, however, and Andrews has not cleared Gronkowski to play. Therefore, Gronk isn't playing almost strictly on his own volition. It's an odd series of events because Andrews is not an expert on arm injuries; he's a knee surgeon. The Patriots are currently 31st in the NFL in red-zone scoring, so they need red-zone beast Gronkowski. His return date is simply up in the air.

Source: Boston Globe

Rob Gronkowski (back, questionable) still has not been cleared to play by Dr. James Andrews.

Despite optimism earlier in the week, Gronkowski is no longer expected to return against the Saints. Both Andrews and the surgeon who performed his latest forearm surgery have yet to give him medical clearance, and reports suggest the Patriots still have some concern over the stability of Gronkowski's several-times surgically-repaired forearm. Fantasy owners need to have other tight end options in place for Week 6.

Oct 11 - 7:38 PM

Source: Profootballtalk on NBC Sports

 

[Bob Barker]

Are the Doctors liable if they clear him and he re-injures his arm?

 

[Annyong]

Doesn't Andrews do all sorts of elbow and shoulder surgeries for MLB players too?

 

[cstu]

With the Patriots looking like they can with the division without him there's no need for them to rush him back. Unless I'm 100% sure he's not going to re-injure his arm then I hold him out until the playoffs if I'm the Patriots.

No offense but I think there are multiple reasons this has absolutely nothing to do with why he is not playing.

I'm not sure what you mean. Obviously they shouldn't play him if he's a risk for re-injury but when you're a playoff team you can afford to be more cautious.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

With the Patriots looking like they can with the division without him there's no need for them to rush him back. Unless I'm 100% sure he's not going to re-injure his arm then I hold him out until the playoffs if I'm the Patriots.

No offense but I think there are multiple reasons this has absolutely nothing to do with why he is not playing.

I'm not sure what you mean. Obviously they shouldn't play him if he's a risk for re-injury but when you're a playoff team you can afford to be more cautious.

I think what he's saying is that it seems the Patriots want him to come back. They've been wanting him to come back. It's Gronk and his people who are being cautious, not the Patriots.

 

[menobrown]

With the Patriots looking like they can with the division without him there's no need for them to rush him back. Unless I'm 100% sure he's not going to re-injure his arm then I hold him out until the playoffs if I'm the Patriots.

No offense but I think there are multiple reasons this has absolutely nothing to do with why he is not playing.

I'm not sure what you mean. Obviously they shouldn't play him if he's a risk for re-injury but when you're a playoff team you can afford to be more cautious.

Has nothing do with the decision making process. In general you don't try and rush any player back from injury but again in this case has nothing to do with it.

The most important thing is the team cleared him. The team wanted him to play weeks ago. The only reason he's not playing is he does not feel ready. That has nothing to do wit the standings.

Next this notion NE has the division sewn up is kind of folly. The only have a one game lead on two teams and while you can argue those two teams are not that great NE has not looked that great either and you could argue the best team they've beat all year is a 1-4 Atlanta teams. Other 3 wins came against a rookie QB making his debut, rookie QB playing his second game and a disintegrating Tampa team. Other than the Tampa win those games all came down to the wire. So while you can knock the quality of the 3-2 Jets and Dolphins it's not as if NE has looked a lot better.

Next the idea they would only care about the division makes little sense. While I realize we've seen wild card teams win the SB the past few years that's still not the goal. Needing to win 3 playoff games, likely two on the road, is not an easy route to the Super Bowl. So getting a 1 or 2 seed is huge.

Lastly you see Danny Amendola out there in the two weeks he's played at clearly less than 100%. Why rush him back and not Gronk? The answer is simple. If it was up to the Patriots they'd both be playing because they realize they don't have squat sewn up.

 

[Tool]

I'm trying to get to your point and i'm not sure i've been able to.


You say Gronk wants a new contract but then say that he's not playing for his next contract. And when you say the contract will choke out his career, i'm not sure i get that either. I understand that if he is outplaying his contract he'll be underpaid, but doesn't he have some leverage at that point to renegotiate a new one?

What I'm saying is IF Gronkowski has a NFL career of moderate length ( playing 10 years in the league is seen as an accomplishment for most players), his current contract will likely cover the entire useful life is his prime playing years. If he's free in 2020, what kind of player will be he in 2020? Between now and 2020, the average cap hold for the Franchise Tag for TEs will likely jump dramatically. Which is one of the measuring points for setting and resetting the market for elite players at the position. It's entirely possible that Jordan Cameron goes absolutely nuts for the next few years, I mean plays lights out and shatters records and then gets the first 9 digit contract in the NFL for a Tight End. If that happens, the valuation of ALL tight ends rise along with it and the market resets. Since it's a copycat league and so many teams are running two tight sets ( the "12 offense") and each roster has essentially one or two "move" TEs which act as hybrid receivers, the odds of spiking the value of the position only goes up.

So while most players with long term contracts, those back end numbers are really phantom numbers that the team and the player both know will likely never be reached, Gronks age and productivity and talent make it very likely that he will, barring some massive injury issue. In most cases, the player and his positional value in the back end of his contract aren't worth what the market will bear for that position and the likely decline of the player. In Gronk's case, getting 9 million in 2017 is still probably going to be a bargain price for the Patriots. By that time, some elite move TE will be making 15 million a year.

Had Gronk been drafted under the new CBA, and had his record breaking season in Year 2, the Patriots would have negotiated a massive contract extension to be signed at the beginning of Year 4. Gronk would have had the opportunity to be paid like a potential free agent the Patriots didn't want to lose and had the potential, for a long career, to possibly see free agency one more time while still a very productive player. But Gronk was drafted in the old system. Where rookies signed 5 year deals with a team leveraged sixth year team option in most cases. This is why guys like Logan Mankins and Vincent Jackson sued the league, they were players who being almost shut out of any chance of free agency by having their prime choked out and used by by their first contract. Logan Mankins proved himself to be a top guard by Year 2 in the league. However he was a team controlled contract, basically a 6 year deal at the slotted salary of a low first round draft pick, with the threat of the Patriots franchising him once or twice then jettisoning him. How many O linemen get record breaking contracts in year 9 of their careers?

The benefit for the Patriots is they nearly hold all the cards over Gronkowski and his likely expected useful life of his NFL career. The drawback is the contract, because it will likely be a value and probably save the Patriots 80-100 million dollars they would have had to pay Gronkowski if he was drafted under the new system, works like a guaranteed contract. Gronk knows hes not getting cut, so why rush himself? Why break his back to help the team win a few more games at the cost of his long term health? Gronk could easily soft pedal it, get 850 yards and 6 scores a year and still get paid. The Patriots could cut him of course. Then Gronk just has to sign a one year make good deal, dominate again, and then sign a mega contract.

I said nearly two years ago, and no one in the Shark Pool listened to me then, that Maurice Jones Drew was probably done as a fantasy force. He had two years left with guaranteed money, had just been publicly humilated by Shad Khan and had to come back to the team hat in hand after trying to get a new contract. His one upside to playing elite would be to get franchised, losing another year of his career before he could hit free agency and helping Khan sell season tickets as the face of the franchise. Without that long term deal, he could not compile enough to get himself in HOF discussion. Or he could take it easy, guard his health, both short term and long term, make sure the team didn't want him after his contract ended, then go play for a contender.

Team Gronk wants the Patriots to renegotiate an extension ( a new contract) that will pay Rob Gronkowski something commensurate to the rising value of TEs to NFL teams in the modern era. However unlike most players, Gronkowski signed such a long term contract at such a young age ( an 8 year deal, with a team option at 2015, at age 23 with only a 16 million signing bonus), he's not playing for his next contract, the team basically controls the useful prime of his career. He will be in his 30s before the Patriots let their stranglehold from him release. By then, given his injury history and style of play, there will be nothing left.

Like I said about David Dodds, who wrote a very reactionary post about the Patriots and their long term deal with Aaron Hernandez, that viewpoint was very short sighted, the Patriots are going to sign a guy when its in the teams interests and gives the team leverage. Just like MLB try to buy out a young star players arbitration eligible years, the Patriots were trying to cut out how many attempts at free agency that Hernandez and Gronkowski were going to see.

Rob Gronkowski has ZERO leverage with his current Patriots contract other than its acting much in the vein of a guaranteed NBA or MLB deal and less like a year to year threat of losing your job contract like most NFL players. He has no incentive to play even slightly hurt or if he has any doubts.

People are looking at his forearm and not looking at his contract status, which shapes and forms a lot of his options and decision making process. This contract is going to continue to be a source of future problems with Team Gronkowski. His dad, Gordon, is, from what I'm hearing, over leveraged in his own industry, and is relying on the Gronkowski family brand name, mostly propped up by Rob, to help bail him out.

Most of you guys are talking about what Schefter tweets or what Rotoworld says. You guys need to start looking at the broad view of these conflicts. NFL politics, player agents, contracts, CBA concerns, PR and marketing issues, target demographics, legal liability, etc, etc. This is where guys like Dodds and his VBD and number crunchers can't help you but eyes-on-the-ground guys with deep ties to the gambling industry like me can, because I understand the political landscape of the NFL and professional sports beyond the Moneyball metrics.

Dude, you've got to work on brevity. With that said, Gronk's contract is interesting. I'm still not sure how that's playing into the injury though. Gronk's potentially got a lot of years left in his career (hopefully anyway) and i think regardless of his contract, he'd want to be cautious on coming back too soon, especially when the last time he did that, he reinjured his arm and that's the primary reason he's in this mess now.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

From RW:

Andrews has not cleared Gronkowski to play. ... Andrews is not an expert on arm injuries. ...

Got to be kidding, Andrews is most definitely an expert. The RW writer sounds almost petulant here.

If there's a lesson for Gronk here it may be that of Robert Griffin and Andrews was involved there too, with an after the fact "I told you so" if I recall correctly.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

Has Andrews examined him and decided not to clear him or has he not been re examined yet and therefore no proactive diagnosis?

 

[Bayhawks]

From RW:

Andrews has not cleared Gronkowski to play. ... Andrews is not an expert on arm injuries. ...

Got to be kidding, Andrews is most definitely an expert. The RW writer sounds almost petulant here.

If there's a lesson for Gronk here it may be that of Robert Griffin and Andrews was involved there too, with an after the fact "I told you so" if I recall correctly.

Andrews is an orthopedic surgeon, as such he's more than qualified to give an opinion on this injury. That being said, this whole story is very difficult to get a read on. Part of that has to do with the Patriots' secrecy with regards to injury news, but part of it is also due to reporters (like the RW writer here) trying to make a story, or break the story.

As far as I can tell, we haven't heard anything from Andrews. If he was going to see Gronkowski before this week's game, one would think he would have done so by now. So why hasn't anything out there?

With regards to the poster who believes this is Gronkowski trying to get a new contract, I see where you are coming from, but I don't agree. He'd have much better luck coming back, showing that he was back to his dominating play, then (at some point) holding out for a new contract. All that is being accomplished here (if this is some kind of contract issue) is making Gronk look like a major injury risk/slow healer, OR like a major malcontent/locker room cancer/head case. Neither of those things are going to be helpful in Gronk getting a new contract.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

What's another week going to do here? It sounds like Andrews thinks the arm is in bad shape and needs to be totally re-done, not that it's not quite there yet. Meanwhile the NE docs think everything is fine.

Seems like this is a battle between "he should be out there now" or "he's done for a long while". I don't think either side is saying he's a week or even a few weeks away. What's going to change between this week and next? Either the arm is totally fubared or totally fine.

 

[msudaisy26]

The Patriots don't mess around with roster spots in the regular season. If they thought he wouldn't be ready by week 6 he would have been placed on pup, if they thought he couldn't play all year he would already be on IR. He will play this year, I am just not sure when it will be.

 

[gethugefast1]

What's another week going to do here? It sounds like Andrews thinks the arm is in bad shape and needs to be totally re-done, not that it's not quite there yet. Meanwhile the NE docs think everything is fine.

Seems like this is a battle between "he should be out there now" or "he's done for a long while". I don't think either side is saying he's a week or even a few weeks away. What's going to change between this week and next? Either the arm is totally fubared or totally fine.

Common sense has to rule at this point.

 

[weebs]

The Patriots don't mess around with roster spots in the regular season. If they thought he wouldn't be ready by week 6 he would have been placed on pup, if they thought he couldn't play all year he would already be on IR. He will play this year, I am just not sure when it will be.

You really have no idea. You are just talking out of your ###.

 

[menobrown]

I don't think either side is saying he's a week or even a few weeks away. What's going to change between this week and next? Either the arm is totally fubared or totally fine.

Sounds to me like the Patriots feel like he's been good to go for weeks so it's only one side that does not think he's ready.

But as to your point about what difference does a week make it's a valid point. The week to week thing made sense when we all thought it was time he needed to gain strength back. As we find out the real issue is a forearm surgery from May suddenly the week to week thing no longer seems applicable. I think in terms of the condition of his forearm we can start to measure this as more of a month to month thing than week to week.

There is now and for the past few weeks existed only one part of this that is truly day to day or week to week and that is Gronk himself deciding to ignore the advice of his inner circle and play.

 

[msudaisy26]

The Patriots don't mess around with roster spots in the regular season. If they thought he wouldn't be ready by week 6 he would have been placed on pup, if they thought he couldn't play all year he would already be on IR. He will play this year, I am just not sure when it will be.

You really have no idea. You are just talking out of your ###.

Why thank you

 

[Breesisdaman]

Question is if the same thing goes down next week you have to start wondering to yourself how long do I wait on this guy? Bye weeks are coming and roster spots are valuable. Say 2 more weeks? 3 weeks? When is enough enough for you to trade or outright cut Gronk?