Top-10 Gronk
March 1st, 2021
Would the Bucs have reached and won the Super Bowl without Cameron Brate?
It’s a very unfair question.
But some form of that question might be on the minds of the power brokers at One Buc Palace.
Tom Brady love/Bucs Super Bowl hero Rob Gronkowski is a free agent in a matter of days.
Gregg Rosenthal, one of the big cheese analysts/editors at NFL.com, ranked Gronk as the 55th-best free agent about to hit the market. He cited Gronk in the top-10 among tight ends in yards (623) and touchdowns (7). And Bucs fans know well that Gronk delivered as a punishing and consistent blocker without missing a game last season.
So what’s Gronk worth? He earned $9 million for the 2020 season, and the Bucs expect to be squeezed under a league-tightened salary cap (yet to be determined).
Brate and O.J. Howard are due north of $6 million in 2021. Howard is recovering from major Achilles surgery and it’s unclear what the Bucs’ commitment is to him before he passes a physical. Brate played for $4 million+ last season as part of a one-year restructure of his contract.
Joe suspects the Bucs and Gronk will reach a deal comfortably. But one could argue that mega-star Gronk has a ton of leverage, assuming Brady’s happiness is paramount at One Buc Palace.
March 1st, 2021 at 2:07 pm
Gronk has no leverage. Gronk is only playing with Brady. It’s either Brady or retirement. Not happening. To me get rid of OJ. He’s injury prone
March 1st, 2021 at 2:07 pm
I hope OJ is healthy and back, because he was just starting to click with Brady when he was hurt, and the guy is a monster, he was a first round pick for a reason. The downside with OJ is his injury history – he’s basically the Vita Vea of the offense, a guy you can’t count on to be there.
March 1st, 2021 at 2:15 pm
Gronk hopefully understands the more $ he tries to squeeze the more it hurts the team.
March 1st, 2021 at 2:15 pm
I think bringing Gronk back is a no-brainer. I’m hoping for a team-friendly $7.5 million deal, but we’ll see.
The real question really comes down to which other TE would Licht rather keep, Brate or OJ Howard. Brate might be slightly overpaid but he’s very dependable, all-around TE. He carries no dead money, but has no trade value. OJ Howard has that upside that he never reached, only has one year left at about the same amount of money as Brate, no dead money, and still has a little trade value (perhaps a 5th rounder) despite coming back from an Achilles injury. I do think OJ Howard looked poised for a big season, he looked like he had good chemistry with Brady.
March 1st, 2021 at 2:17 pm
Brate is superior in every way to OJ and he had great chemistry with Brady. One of the top targets in every playoff game.
March 1st, 2021 at 2:19 pm
Gronk blocks like top tier lineman, with great hands!
Pay the man!! He is vital to the offense.
IMO
March 1st, 2021 at 2:36 pm
Bye OJ.
March 1st, 2021 at 2:41 pm
All will stay with the team IMO……Gronk’s situation may depend somewhat on whether they extend Brady….if they do, they could go with a 2 year deal for Gronk for $14 mil guaranteed….he’d take it.
March 1st, 2021 at 2:44 pm
How absurd is it that the cap isn’t published yet ! Free Agency begins in 17 days and the finance gurus can’t scheme their possibilities yet ! What a friggin joke. All the money these db’s make, all the merchandise I purchased after the SB, not to mention all of their streams of income. They could really vote on an exemption and maintain the same cap, not like they are not killing it with their TV revenue. I suppose that’s how the megawealthy become mega, squeeze every drop out of a stone, like stale expired peanuts sold at the Vet !
March 1st, 2021 at 2:47 pm
Tampabaybucfan Says:
March 1st, 2021 at 2:41 pm
All will stay with the team IMO
I AGREE….
GO BUCS!!!!
March 1st, 2021 at 2:54 pm
Gronks slow start was because he took a year off. We all saw what he is capable of by the end of the season. He is happy and motivated, he is a MUST sign for on and off the field. Who doesn’t love Gronk, except we sour New Englanders?
March 1st, 2021 at 2:55 pm
hope for OJ LOL
hope for jdub too
but see ya. OJ is ALWAYS hurt. Give his money to keep gromk and brate a draft a someone late….still have Hudson and Auclair which didn’t look too bad in limited action.
drop OJ, no question. If you can get a soda pop for him, DO IT!
March 1st, 2021 at 2:56 pm
Rod Munch says: “The downside with OJ is his injury history – he’s basically the Vita Vea of the offense, a guy you can’t count on to be there.”
What an ignorant thing to say. Vita Vea? You mean the guy who only missed time because he broke his ankle but worked his ass to get back to full health and be ready to play in case his team made a deep playoff run? And then when that did happen he stepped right in and was a difference maker in the NFC Championship and Superbowl? That Vita Vea?
March 1st, 2021 at 3:05 pm
Yea rod munch also said vea was just a 2 down run stuffer 😂😂
March 1st, 2021 at 3:21 pm
When you look at our injuries for 2020…..it’s amazing……losing OJ…..losing VV & getting him back for the NFC Championship & SB……but most everyone else played through them….the entire season.
Not much is written about that….but it’s a big factor in our success.
March 1st, 2021 at 3:23 pm
Can Brady take a pay cut this year and we just “promise” to pay him double when he becomes a coach for us after retirement?
March 1st, 2021 at 3:25 pm
Gronk 1 year – 8 mil.
He might even take 7
He can match up against chase young and montez sweat by himself
He is an extra lineman that is the greatest tight end of all time
Only kelce has a chance to catch him as of now.
March 1st, 2021 at 3:39 pm
asking TB to take a pay cut is laughable. That would be a slap in the face to the guy who got you there. Pretty sure he’d say heck no and move on with his other endeavors…and who could blame him.
Him coming back….just for that we should say thank you sir!
March 1st, 2021 at 3:54 pm
OJ still needs to work in his hands. He drops more passes than he should and Doesn’t hold it very securely. I think he had a little too much of “I’ve arrived” and could use a little more of Chris Godwin’s “I’m just gonna keep my head down and work on improving”
March 1st, 2021 at 4:21 pm
Seems to me that several extensions could be made that would reduce the impact on this year. It all starts with extending Brady another season or two and the rest will follow.
March 1st, 2021 at 5:24 pm
When the Pat’s wanted to trade Gronk on the last year of his contract he said “Brady is my Quaterback” …..and retired. He’ll stick with Tom! Besides he now has Baby Gronk to keep an eye on let alone his Mom. Love you 87! Go Bucs!
March 1st, 2021 at 5:25 pm
Gronk is by far the most important tight end on this roster. OJ Howard reminds me of Jay Miss – lots of physical potential and that’s about it. I think I would keep Brate over OJ. I certainly don’t expect to resign OJ after this year, unless he has a monster year, and I would not bet on that.
March 1st, 2021 at 5:58 pm
I wouldn’t be surprised if Gronk takes a team friendly deal. Its reported that he has managed his money very well, and he’s just playing for fun right now because his buddy Brady asked him to.
March 1st, 2021 at 6:32 pm
Wondering why my comment was not posted. I’ve never done this before . Was I supposed to login or something? I saw that it was being reviewed. I thought it was very informative, current Bucs relevant, humorous, and respectful. I am now a Bucs season ticket holder having purchased the day Brady signed. Gillette in Foxborough has a 40 year waiting list. Sincerely, Janet Rowe
March 1st, 2021 at 6:53 pm
O.J. is legit, some of y’all are whack.
March 1st, 2021 at 8:10 pm
Let OJ go….then draft Baby Gronk 32nd if he’s still there…Freiermuth!!
March 1st, 2021 at 10:48 pm
This offense hasn’t even played close to its best football yet… and that’s awesome 😎
March 1st, 2021 at 11:29 pm
OJ is gone, the guy is injury prone, has hands of stone, takes plays off and isn’t a particularly good route runner. Brate is a better overall TE for the way Brady plays.
March 2nd, 2021 at 1:17 am
Gronk. Was a teacher for Brate this year. And yes OJ. Gets injured. In fact many great too ball player get hurt. In fact Brate has a head start in playing and learning from, yes the legend Gronk. And the legend Brady.. if it wasn’t for the salary cap. Everyone would come back. But theirs a salary cap. So I believe they should fight for the positions. And who knows ok might be a back up. Just in case Brate gets injured next year or wait what if Gronk gets injured. And God forbids Brady. Don’t worry I won’t draft Brady on my 1st round. Because last time I did that Brady got injured on the 1st game most people forgot about that year right.
March 2nd, 2021 at 7:25 am
Why do you all jeep forgetting that when you exercise a 5th year option it is guarantee. The only way to save money on OJ is to sign a new contract. Maybe if he can’t pass a physical there us an exemption.
March 2nd, 2021 at 9:46 am
“Oj is a monster when healthy”
Yeah, I musta missed that.
He has unrealized monster potential.
Gronk and Brate have monster production. They love the game.
You can see it, when they Play.
Brady’s gonna be the decision maker.
I’ll surprised if its not Gronk and Brate.
March 2nd, 2021 at 10:57 am
OJ, trade or injury settlement. If its true they can’t release him without a cap hit.
March 2nd, 2021 at 3:45 pm
Gronk needs to take a bit of a pay cut im sure he will keep brate and get rid of oj bc of his injury history..otherwise id say trade brate to pick up van noy also maybe look into a RB if Lenny leaves ..rojo is good but we need a RB who can catch the check down passes Arron jones is available grab him and offense would be unstoppable..