skol asylum
Footballguy
This guy keeps talking about coming back, though I know he is the type that just loves to talk anyways, so I figured what the heck and picked him up on my dynasty team. At least for a week or so.
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TE Rob Gronkowski, TB (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter bicycle_seat_sniffer
- Start date
Rhythmdoctor
Footballguy
I almost added him to a couple big money bestball leagues on draft but I just couldn't afford to potentially waste a roster spot.
Don Hutson
Footballguy
It's not a wasted roster spot until week one has begun. Actually, he is a horrible bestball gambit unless you can make roster changes. I've rostered him on several teams. I will drop him at 11:59am on Sunday, September 8th unless there is news that he will return. It sounds like he was paid some money to promote CBD and his interest might not be genuine. I'm going to guess he got paid a million bucks for his promotion. He would need time to let the cannabanoids leave his system to even pass the drug test if he were serious about returning. I am doubtful that he will return promptly but he has a place on my roster until games are actually played.
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Rhythmdoctor
Footballguy
Best ball leagues though, so no roster maintenance. You draft and forget it. No add/drops, no lineup decisions, no trades, etc...
Don Hutson
Footballguy
Some bestball leagues have roster maintenance, you just don't pick starting lineups. Gronk is a horrible bestball player if he will be on your roster the entire season after you draft him. He has somewhere between a 5% and a 20% chance of returning this season. Not good odds if you're stuck with him.
ILUVBEER99
Footballguy
Even if he comes back is he really a top TE anymore? He wasn’t very good last season.
rockaction
Footballguy
They kept him in to block all last year. Disaster if you took him anywhere around the third round, even.
Rhythmdoctor
Footballguy
habsfan
Footballguy
I'm surprised to see him say "he is there physically" and could play now. That could be true but equally possible it's beer talk. Perhaps I'm a cynic but when he says he would need to be there mentally, I'm tempted to translate that as, "If my salary were revisited and/or my on field usage, I'd suddenly be mentally ready".
I'm not a Pats fan or expert but what would be their level of interest in a guy who retires and openly admits he lacks the desire to play? I would think BB moved forward immediately in a post-Grok era and would never look back.
rockaction
Footballguy
I think New England is trying to remake the WR corps with Harry, Gordon, and Thomas to replace the big body advantage they had with Gronk. I say that because if that plan doesn't pan out, I'd expect them to actually full-court press Gronk (assuaging his two concerns of salary and playing time) to come back. They're desperate at TE. I mean, they look awful there. Ben Watson is thirty-eight and nearly got killed the last game he played in preseason.
You listen to his most recent interview? First, don't think it has much to do with money as he has enough. And I don't think BB wants to get jerked around but if Gronk was serious about returning, can't see them not being very interested.
The guy is all about money. He hasn’t even touched a drop of his contract earnings using promotional money instead. He wants to keep that gravy train going.
i wouldn’t stop someone from drafting him though.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I still say it's about the Benjamins. WHen asked, Gronk's response to coming back (at least in the past) was it depended on what they paid him. I think Gronk returning hinges on what he can make doing other things (endorsing, acting, wrestling, signings, etc.). If he makes a lot to work a little, he won't have much incentive to return. But if there isn't a lot of money out there compared to making $10 million a year playing football, he will be motivated to come back.
That being said, he doesn't NEED to work another day in his life (to live a normal regular life), but I think Gronk wants to live a Gronk lifestyle for 50 more years and will need more money than he has. I am also very confident NE said here's our last and best offer, you are welcome back at that price. That's where things were left at 6 months ago. We'll have to see if either side blinks or if both sides potentially move on.
That being said, he doesn't NEED to work another day in his life (to live a normal regular life), but I think Gronk wants to live a Gronk lifestyle for 50 more years and will need more money than he has. I am also very confident NE said here's our last and best offer, you are welcome back at that price. That's where things were left at 6 months ago. We'll have to see if either side blinks or if both sides potentially move on.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
From what I have seen / heard / observed, Gronk's contract has been an issue for years. He's wanted top of the market money all along and wanted the biggest contract ever for a TE. From the sounds of it, he wanted WR money (I am guessing like $15-16 million a year with most of it guaranteed). NE has essentially said, "you have a contract for $9 million for this year, you need to honor it." Thus the standoff. Gronk pretty much said without a new deal with lots of guaranteed money he would retire. And he did. And here we are.
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
Got him for $9 - if I get 4 meaningful games out of him at the end of the year he’s worth it.
If not it’s a 28 man roster & the dude I dropped just got cut; so...
If not it’s a 28 man roster & the dude I dropped just got cut; so...
4th&inches
Footballguy
Still sounds like a return isn’t out of the question.
Still holding off on adding; but definitely intrigued.
ninogaggi
Footballguy
Bossman
Footballguy
... also finding it very interesting that "Captain Obvious" is observing in the background.
Guess we should have known about Gronks return all along.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I don't think a lot has changed in 6 months. I think it's all about the money. Gronk wants to cash in. The Patriots don't want to pay him anything more than he is/was contracted for. If BB made Gronk a godfather offer with tons of guaranteed money at crazy WR money, he would be at practice on Monday. But NE isn't going to do that, so Gronk will do Gronk things for awhile. I don't necessarily think Gronk is 100% committed to coming back, but I don't think he is 100% committed to being retired. I do believe Gronk lost some love of the game by being hurt all the time, which is why at this point he either gets paid a ton or he just watches at home like the rest of us. He sold his penthouse in Boston, so I don't even think he is around all that much anymore.
He was due $9 million this year. I don't see the Pats springing for a 2-year extension for $36 million with $20+ million guaranteed that would get Gronk an AAV of $15 million over the next three seasons. I would guess that is along the lines of what his camp wants and is thinking. We'll see what happens once the bullets start to fly and he isn't in the gunfight. If he comes back, I think it might be next year not this year. There's only so many fiestas. cruises, and mardi gras events he can attend. After a year away I think he will get bored, lower his demands, and would be recovered enough physically that he would entertain coming back. I am not sure he is that into some of the options that have come up (wrestling, acting, commercials, etc.) and they probably don't pay what the NFL pays. Sure, he has a bunch of endorsement deals, but how long will he stay in the limelight when he is no longer playing? Those will start drying up eventually.
He was due $9 million this year. I don't see the Pats springing for a 2-year extension for $36 million with $20+ million guaranteed that would get Gronk an AAV of $15 million over the next three seasons. I would guess that is along the lines of what his camp wants and is thinking. We'll see what happens once the bullets start to fly and he isn't in the gunfight. If he comes back, I think it might be next year not this year. There's only so many fiestas. cruises, and mardi gras events he can attend. After a year away I think he will get bored, lower his demands, and would be recovered enough physically that he would entertain coming back. I am not sure he is that into some of the options that have come up (wrestling, acting, commercials, etc.) and they probably don't pay what the NFL pays. Sure, he has a bunch of endorsement deals, but how long will he stay in the limelight when he is no longer playing? Those will start drying up eventually.
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
I find this a little hard to believe.
Dude has had a ton of surgeries. Many painful injuries, including to his back, iirc.
back injuries are no joke. Anyone who’s had one will tell you that they’re a cause for self-reflection.
Having slipped a disc 15 years ago I can say emphatically, at one point I was dramatically effected by it. 2 hours of sleep a night, constant pain, walking like an old main, feeling frail. Doesn’t matter your age or physical conditioning - a spinal injury is life altering.
I think I’d read that it was the back injury that led directly to his decision to retire
if so, I get it. It’s pain at such a fundamental level that it’s not even a cp conscious thing - your body simply wont let you do certain things. It has a massive psychological impact. You feel frail. Weak. Scared that the wrong movement or moving too suddenly could cripple you for life.
I’ve injured myself more seriously from a physical / trauma standpoint - shoulder surgery for repeated dislocation, broken wrist, broken toes, lacerations that required stitches, cracked ribs, even a root canal.
none of that held a candle to hurting my spine.
All those other things are relatively predictable when it comes to healing. But the spine is a crap shoot. And no amount of $ would make me risk injury to my back/spine again. I pray I never have to experience that type of injury again.
If that’s the case, and Gronk’s retirement was related to his back, then I wouldn’t be at all shocked to see him never pay again. But if he’s got that itch, and he wants to risk it all to get back to the SB, I wouldn’t blame him for that either.
But I’d have a very hard time believing it’s all about the $.
Casting Couch
Footballguy
I think once the season gets rolling, Gronk will be tempted by the ease of walking onto the field without the rigors of training camp. If he can get himself into peak conditioning on his own, he'll be back after the week 10 BYE.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Actual mileage may vary as they say. But the evidence is the evidence. After the SB, several media folks asked if he was planning on coming back and he said it depended on what the team would pay him. He even indicated that he would have to figure out what the team's best offer would be. In the following 6+ weeks, there was plenty of talk that he, his posse, his agent, and the team had numerous discussions on finding a middle ground that would work for both sides. Team Gronk had been fighting over his contract FOR YEARS, saying he was way underpaid. Essentially, they started complaining while the ink was drying on the contract he had signed and they immediately had second thoughts. At one point this March, there were rumors that Gronk and the team were working out some final details with an announcement potentially coming in a few days with him expected to announce he was coming back. The announcement came a few days later . . . that he decided to retire.
IMO, if his body couldn't take it or hold up anymore, if he mentally was checked out, if he was counting down the days until the season ended, if he had a careers worth of debilitating injuries that tainted his daily existence, he would have retired right after the Super Bowl. But he didn't. He's only been asked a thousand times if he is planning on coming back and really hasn't made much of an effort to say those days are gone. He always gives some wiggle room that he might get the itch.
While all the things you mentioned in terms of injuries and pain are true, he endured them before . . . why not endure them again? If he could endure them for $7.5 million a year, wouldn't it stand to reason that the aches and pains might not sting so much for say, I don't know, twice as much money? I'm not saying he definitely wants to play, only that he could be convinced.
Long Ball Larry
Footballguy
Bah Gawd!
Dave Stauff
Footballguy
Coming back to erode Brown's target share 
. . .
. . .
3 hour lunch
Footballguy
The way it was tweeted out seems too obvious to me, like the “return” will just be for the banner unveiling. I may regret it but no one I want to cut in either of my dyno leagues for him
KingPrawn
Footballguy
The story includes Martelius Bennet, Drew Bledsoe, Willie McGinest & Gronk and also quotes McGinest as saying, “Major comebacks happening in foxboro stay tuned news will drop tomorrow night.”
Comebacks. As in plural.
Sounds more like a PR piece than a coming out of retirement announcement.
Comebacks. As in plural.
Sounds more like a PR piece than a coming out of retirement announcement.
kittenmittens
Footballguy
I don't even care if he comes back if he plays like last year. He wasn't a good fantasy player, barely startable.
If he does come back it will probably be after the fantasy season anyway.
If he does come back it will probably be after the fantasy season anyway.
Faust
MVP
No formal announcement that he was returning to the Patriots last night but it clearly has been on his mind:
Gronkowski: I'd need 'a month' of training if I unretired (September 3)
WATCH: Rob Gronkowski says he could 'easily' go back to the NFL, if he wanted (September 4)
Monday’s Mashup: Rob Gronkowski posts shirtless photo showing he is still in football shape ahead of Patriots opener
Gronkowski: I'd need 'a month' of training if I unretired (September 3)
WATCH: Rob Gronkowski says he could 'easily' go back to the NFL, if he wanted (September 4)
Monday’s Mashup: Rob Gronkowski posts shirtless photo showing he is still in football shape ahead of Patriots opener
Team Smokin'
Footballguy
Perhaps with AB signing and the hot start last night Gronk may like to get paid again and another run for another ring? I'm holding for now as long as I can. Njoku is my other TE. Nice to see him score while the Browns and Baker certainly disappointed many.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
NE will probably use up all their remaining cap money to sign AB. They began the day yesterday less than $10M under the cap. Brown is said to be coming in with a $9M signing bonus, $1M salary, and $5 million in incentives. As I posted in the Patriots team thread, they will probably add a dummy year in Brown's contract to be able to extend the signing bonus cap hit until next season, but they are going to be running on fumes cap wise pretty soon. Unless Gronk wants to come back and tear up his contract and start over again on a bargain basement deal, the Brown move more than likely means Gronk isn't coming back much more so than Gronk is coming back. Theoretically, NE could start rallying the troops to redo or extend deals, but as the numbers are now, their coffers are almost empty.
dickey moe
Fingerpicker
Cut Brown sign Gronk. AB is going to mess up this team's chemistry anyway.
Don Hutson
Footballguy
Willie McFibest
JackReacher
Footballguy
He underwhelmed in regular season for sure, but was 6-87 in Super Bowl with a huge catch in 4th quarter. The guy can still play.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Gronk Video Saying He Will Be Back Week 14
Is he for real? Is he joking? You make the call. I’d vote he’s just messing around. One thing is certain. He’s teased coming back multiple times.
Is he for real? Is he joking? You make the call. I’d vote he’s just messing around. One thing is certain. He’s teased coming back multiple times.
Don Hutson
Footballguy
That is the exact laugh he had when he told Drew Brees he was coming back. He might come back but this video doesn't make me believe it any more than I had.Anarchy99 said:
rockaction
Footballguy
It's interesting from a football perspective but less so from a fantasy perspective for me. One team has Hock, Waller, Herndon. Another has Hock flying solo. The last has Waller and Herndon in tandem.Anarchy99 said:
I'm not sure what Gronk is talking about for Week 14, or why he's teasing this constantly, but the NEP machine is rolling along just nicely right now without him.
Heck, Gordon looks like a tight end out there. I wouldn't be surprised if Bill approaches him about it.
eta* The only thing that's front-runningly missing about the NEP is LeBron at TE.
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Gottabesweet
Footballguy
They’d have him back in a heartbeat. He’s not a fantasy asset anymore but useful to NE. Once he puts on 20 pounds he’ll be a monster BLOCKER again. He was punishing people last year.
Casting Couch
Footballguy
rockaction
Footballguy
That's exactly what he was all year. I drafted him in the third last year, and watched with utter chagrin as he blocked for everybody. And don't think the NEP didn't notice Michel's 15 for 14 stat line.
Casting Couch
Footballguy
I'm just saying keep him at the end of your roster, if he comes back in week 14, or after the BYE, he could be a difference maker in the FF playoffs.
rockaction
Footballguy
Not likely, really. He'll block and be serviceable, but a roster spot, for the most part, is much more valuable than Gronk will be straight up in Wks 14-16. TE is deep this year. Points are almost everywhere to be had in twelve team leagues. He's barely a TE1 right now.
Casting Couch
Footballguy
TEs are not deep this year and Gronk will be fresh and beastly if he returns before the FF playoffs. , In standard 22 -25 man, 12 team leagues, you're telling me Gronk is not rosterable ?
rockaction
Footballguy
Oh, deepest I go is seventeen players, IIRC. Redraft. Bench spots are very valuable.
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