The New England Patriots just traded away Rob Gronkowski and the effects for the team are more than just draft picks.
The New England Patriots and Rob Gronkowski shocked the sports world on Tuesday with a trade of Gronkowski’s rights to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gronk began the day retired and technically still is, but he already let it be known he would be willing to come out of retirement to once again play with Tom Brady.
The ripple effects of the deal can be felt all across the league — especially in New England. Gronkowski retired after the 2018 season and, although he teased he would never say never on playing again, after a year away and several off the field pursuits, nobody in Patriots land expected to see him again.
The fact he was seemingly willing to come back once Brady signed elsewhere is a bad sign for the Patriots. In a matter of just over a month, the Patriots have watched the two faces of their latest dynasty ride off to team up together with another franchise. This is what they are used to seeing other players do when coming to New England to chase titles.
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On the surface, the trade seems to be a positive for the Patriots. They trade away a player who was not originally in their plans for the upcoming season. The Patriots already had three third-round picks and now have two in the fourth round.
For a team with many holes to fill, this gives them a chance to either stockpile on young players in this draft or gives them additional ammunition to trade up in either the first round or trade into the second round where they do not hold a draft pick.
Even if Gronkowski’s preference was to play with the Patriots, their salary cap situation would have made it difficult for them to maneuver him into their roster. Now they do not have to worry about this and they still get a little draft capital.
However, on the other hand, the Patriots were only able to get a fourth-round pick for a future first-ballot Hall of Famer and a four-time Pro Bowler. Gronkowski is considered to be the best tight end of his generation. He will be 31 when the next season rolls around and his body was beaten and battered when he last played in 2018 but the lack of leverage he gave the Patriots in this situation surely hurt them.
The Baltimore Ravens were able to get a second-round pick for Hayden Hurst and the Buccaneers were rumored to be looking for the same in return for tight end O.J. Howard. Both of these players have nothing close to Gronkowski’s résumé. It is fair to wonder what the Patriots could have done if able to trade Gronkowski anywhere. The problem is they did not have this luxury.
Bill Belichick is sure to be at least a little frustrated with the way things have worked out this offseason. He’s left in rebuild/retool mode without a seamless quarterback transfer and still no replacement for Gronkowski.
Ironically, he had agreed to trade Gronkowski to Detroit before the 2018 draft for a first-round pick but Gronkowski effectively killed the trade when he threatened to retire. The Patriots had also traded Brady’s would-be successor to the San Francisco 49ers during the 2017 season.
Jimmy Garappolo was traded for a second-round pick and the Patriots are left without Brady, Garappolo and Gronkowski — and only have a former second-round pick and a fourth-round pick to show for it.
The Patriots fell victim to the leverage game with Rob Gronkowski a few different times in his career, but his last two are the most notable. He first essentially vetoed the trade with Detroit in 2018. He has now done it again by dictating which team the Patriots would have to trade him to.
The Patriots are not used to this, but he may have created a blueprint for future Patriots players who find themselves in a similar position. The Patriots usually hold all of the cards, but Gronkowski has flipped this on them throughout his career. This could have an impact on many future negotiations and transactions.
The Patriots may no longer be a destination for players to flock to in order to chase championships or have a one-year showcase. For the time being, they will probably not find many players looking to do this for a discount like they have grown accustomed to.
Some of the rumors we have heard and read about both Brady’s and Gronkowski’s unhappiness with Belichick and the team now appear to be true. There is no denying it. Now Brady and Gronkowski are bringing their winning culture to another franchise.
The biggest impact of the Patriots trade of Rob Gronkowski to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is the loss of two franchise-altering players who voluntarily wanted out of New England. Gronkowski made it known he would only play with Brady and Brady walked out of the door in March. The Patriots have lost core players in the past but it has commonly been what they wanted and usually dictated.
This doesn’t change the rebuild for Bill Belichick, but it does alter the team’s image around the league. When players the caliber of Brady and Gronkowski can no longer find happiness with your surroundings, it changes the way other players look at the “Patriot Way” and playing for Bill Belichick. The best way to turn this around will be success in the near future.