“He’s Gonna To Have To Get Paid Appropriately”
April 8th, 2022
A former teammate of Rob Gronkowski was on TV today talking about he hung out at his buddy Gronk’s house two weeks ago, and how Gronk needs the Buccaneers to step up to the table with a fat check.
Former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich is one of many NFL analysts for BSPN. And he’s never afraid to name drop, which he did on the Get Up show (aka Stay in Bed) this morning.
First, Ninkovich said how Gronk told him he doesn’t know if he’s playing this season. Then he said Gronk is feeling out his body, and then he quickly veered into the cash lane.
“For him to come back and to put himself in a position of getting beat up and potentially being injured, you have to have the reward there,” Ninkovich said. “So he’s gonna have to get paid appropriately compared to where he’s at and what the tight end market is. … I think Rob is at a point now where it’s gotta be worth it for him, and the money’s got to be something that knocks him off his feet.”
Gronk earned $9 million last season, including incentives. Per Spotrac.com, 10 tight ends (including slimy Saints utility man Taysom Hill) are set to earn $10 million or more this season.
Jeremy Fowler, a longtime and respected BSPN journalist insider, said on the show that the Bucs already have budgeted for Gronk. But Fowler didn’t put a number on it.
Joe has a feeling Gronk’s will rush to call his mom for his football pants if the Bucs put $10 million on the table.
Enjoy Friday’s Ira Kaufman Podcast!
April 8th, 2022 at 5:56 pm
Find the money in the sofa, restructure everyone you can, and get Gronk and Suh back for one more ride.
April 8th, 2022 at 6:03 pm
I would normally say meh move on. However, if 10 million gets the job done, it’s worth it.
Yup, I like what GF said above. Suh is important. More than most folks realize. I know Suh wants to come back. Get Gronk and my man Suh back. Love Suh
April 8th, 2022 at 6:10 pm
The Bucs can write the check.
But Gronk won’t be able to cash it until next year…
April 8th, 2022 at 6:14 pm
Pay the man Jason. You will not find a TE that can change a game like Gronk. The OJ experiment is over and Brate can’t block. And yeah , Suh needs to come back also, this team is in win mode and can not rely on the draft for a DT.
April 8th, 2022 at 6:14 pm
That’s folding money for the Glazers. Get it done.
April 8th, 2022 at 6:14 pm
Sign Gronk and Suh, draft well, and have better luck with injuries than last year and the Bucs are genuine contenders. Even if we resign the veterans we should try to draft adequate replacements at their positions. We need a little new blood on this team here and there.
April 8th, 2022 at 6:19 pm
I figured gronk would be 10 mill anyway
April 8th, 2022 at 6:22 pm
I bet Gronk will wait until after training camp… He doesn’t want to deal with that BS and I don’t blame him.
As long as he stays in shape he will be fine. TB12 and Gronk don’t need much practice to be on the same page…
April 8th, 2022 at 6:22 pm
Pay Gronzilla
April 8th, 2022 at 6:35 pm
Already have him for 5 mil dead cap might as well sign him for 10 mil and have 2023 and 2024 5 mil hit each year and will cost you zero this year. They owe Suh about 6.5 dead cap sign him for one year 7.5 plus incentives and spread that over 2023 and 2024 we are set till the draft. And trade Trask in the draft if your going to bring in Gabbert and Griffin it shows me this team has no patience with young QBs. Maybe Bowles will trade for Sam Donald after Brady retires or sign Geno Smith.
April 8th, 2022 at 6:36 pm
Pay the Man, restructure, rob Peter to Pay Paul, just get it done!
Gronk is literally a game changing tight end, plus we do not have to pay OJ Howard anymore!
April 8th, 2022 at 6:54 pm
With Mathieu being a free agent, I wonder if it’s possible we go after him
April 8th, 2022 at 6:57 pm
Kansas95Buc sign him for 12mil put 6mil on 2023 and 6mil on 2024 and he plays for free this year.
April 8th, 2022 at 6:58 pm
On top of having unbelievable hands and a height advantage, he’s got an impeccable personality that is such a positive to have around the other guys. Pay the man. LFG!!!!
April 8th, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Allbuccedup … The Dead CAP is for previous year’s salary that was ‘deferred’. Sign Gronk for $10 mil and that’s $15 mil we’ll owe him for 2022, some of which can be ‘deferred’ again until 2023. Nothing’s free, as we’ll find out next year.
April 8th, 2022 at 7:05 pm
People keep saying “pay the man”… I don’t think that’s been an issue. Gronk has to decide he wants to play, and then they’ll figure out how to pay him. 10 million ought to do it. If he wants more than that, I think we have to move on.
April 8th, 2022 at 7:11 pm
Did anybody seriously think he was playing for less than $10m?
Pay him and let him have an easy veterans camp too. Get a really good TE in the draft.
April 8th, 2022 at 7:18 pm
$10 million gets you a leader, a winner and arguably the greatest TE ever. It literally could be the difference in another SB for TB12 or an early playoff exit. Look at the GS warriors for success like 6 championship games they played in. Find a way to get it done. Build a legacy. He wants $10 million he gets $10 million. Nuff said. Brady’s BFF. Some other guys move money around for Brady and his BFF even if it means it’s TB12 himself that has to do it. I mean it’s important and Brady knows that. Let’s not get it twisted. He needs resigned not getting a better TE in the draft or FA. This is where he wants to be. This is who the fans want. Godwin , Evans , David move the money around. Get it done. Idc what it takes. $2-3 mill for each player who cares. This team gets things done.
April 8th, 2022 at 7:23 pm
Sign him and let him just show up for camp in July – all good
April 8th, 2022 at 7:35 pm
Yes, we have been paying entirely to much money and time to the offense But….Gronk is kinda like a go to guy for us when things are tight. Pay The man!
April 8th, 2022 at 7:37 pm
People can argue/debate other TE’s like Kelce and Kittle. They are good. But 90, I repeat, NINETY touchdowns? C’mon Bucs and Gronk, let’s get 10 more TD’s this year. Or at least, save Gronky until the playoffs – he’s THAT dominant.
GO BUCS!!
April 8th, 2022 at 7:39 pm
“For TB12 to be successful and in a unstoppable grove
throughout his career, Brady always had to have the hot slot receiver to get the ball out asap
we dont have that player yet
AB cost Brady and the Bucs back 2 back superbowls”
Kobe Faker
April 8th, 2022 at 7:39 pm
$10m is insulting. Give him $13m. He’s worth it.
April 8th, 2022 at 7:50 pm
Draft the best TE
April 8th, 2022 at 7:53 pm
Well, Kobe, it’s possible Gage might develop into that quick slot guy that Brady used for many years in NE. Godwin is a great receiver, but lacks the quick-twitch like Welker and Edelman. I’m loving what the Bucs offense looks like today, on paper. Let’s get some!
April 8th, 2022 at 8:06 pm
@ DR
Agreed. Pay him the league min. salary with a slew of incentives that can be paid in 2023.
He will still make his $10M regardless.
April 8th, 2022 at 8:09 pm
Not sure he’s worth $10M or some of the others earning that, but the Bucs paid him $9M last year so the precedent is set. Also, the Bucs need him more than he needs to play for at least 2022. Just pay him!!
April 8th, 2022 at 8:15 pm
People forget what killed the Bucs Super Bowl run was the secondary. Bad coaching and performance. I’m not worried about a Brady led offense.
He still has more weapons than he had in New England. The pass defense must be at least top 10 to win a Super Bowl. Last year it was bottom 3rd.
April 8th, 2022 at 8:16 pm
SIGN Him for the league min. wink wink… the Let Tommy pay him cash.. shhhhh
April 8th, 2022 at 8:16 pm
then
April 8th, 2022 at 8:27 pm
Unless they want to be forced to trade for a top veteran (who can block) and/or draft a TE (who will need to learn how to block, because most don’t), they have no choice but to swallow it and pay Gronk top dollar for one season. It doesn’t sound like he wants to do it much longer.
And they will have to start over again next year.
April 8th, 2022 at 8:34 pm
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
I think we have the will….
April 8th, 2022 at 8:59 pm
He’s not waiting on the Bucs, they’re waiting on him.
April 8th, 2022 at 9:01 pm
**** Unpopular opinion alert!
Love Gronk but that ship might have sailed.
I think he got really banged up last year and he might really be done.
He takes a beating and we don’t know how he really feels physically.
It’s always nice to put all these chess pieces in place before the season starts and commence with penciling in wins based on personnel, but we might need to look elsewhere, be it the draft or trade and move on.
Fingers crossed but just being realistic.
April 8th, 2022 at 9:10 pm
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Agree with this.Starting to think Gronk shipped sailed. He’s already left Brady once so don’t be fooled he’ll be back
April 8th, 2022 at 9:11 pm
Ship not shipped 🙁
April 8th, 2022 at 9:16 pm
He’ll take a year off to heal up, and then join Brady next year with the Dolphins or 49ers.
April 8th, 2022 at 9:21 pm
Pay him. Pay that man his money. – KGB
April 8th, 2022 at 9:21 pm
DooshLaRue … I get what you’re saying, but as an alternative Bucs need to consider keeping our older players (like Gronk IF he re-signs) on a significantly lower snap count (at least until the playoffs).
In Gronk’s case, he does a LOT of blocking. Last 2 seasons he’s played in 28 games (plus playoffs) and gotten 1442 offensive snaps (average 66.9% of the total snaps on the season, but much higher than that in the games he’s actually played in). Gronk was only targeted 166 times total in those 2 years; that equates to being targeted on 11.5% of the plays he was on the field for. Good probability that he was blocking on most of those other plays. As big as Gronk is, that sets him up for taking some pretty good beatings. Bucs would be wise to add another really good blocking TE to the TE stable to cut down on some of those beatings.
April 8th, 2022 at 9:22 pm
He’ll play, but the bucs should protect themselves. If he wants ten million, some incentives should be tied to the deal. Remember you aren’t getting the 2014 version of the player, and the contract should reflect that. From reports, he hasn’t spent a dollar of his money from contracts, he’s been living off his substantial endorsement deals. Give him five and a half guaranteed, make him earn the rest. The salary cap can be screwed with plenty in the off-season, but becomes less fungible during the season. I’d hate to see them miss out on a possible trade if too much money is tied to the player.
April 8th, 2022 at 9:36 pm
It’s not the money, it’s fitting it into the cap space. GOBUCS!
April 8th, 2022 at 9:59 pm
We ought to approach the draft as if Gronk is done. Draft TE in round 2 or 3, and another one in round 7.
April 8th, 2022 at 9:59 pm
DefenseRules and Doosh, yes, we have a problem. Gronk is a great blocker.
No one else in free agency is, who is also a great pass catcher. It’s one or the other, and the blocking is always suspect, even with guys like Jared Cook or Kyle Rudolph, who are about the best options left. And they’re not Gronk.
Few if any in the draft can block.
So what are the Bucs going to do if Gronk refuses? They can’t depend solely on Brate. Swinging a major trade for a veteran would put Licht in a bad position, and who can be gotten?
April 8th, 2022 at 10:03 pm
The cap is the biggest lie in the NFL. Take a look at the Rams, Bills, and the jail break the saints just executed from cap jail. It isn’t about the cap, it’s real dollars. Bad investment aren’t what made these owners billionaires. Something just occurred, maybe the Bills offer him ten fully guaranteed, and the bucs are only in for five guaranteed. As I’m thinking out loud, Brady would probably make up the diff in Bitcoin
April 8th, 2022 at 10:13 pm
good grief i cant post, wtf?
April 8th, 2022 at 10:15 pm
He’ll be back…he’s toying around with all of this.
April 8th, 2022 at 10:59 pm
You guys forget , after Godwin got hurt, Brady was looking for Gronk on all the big plays, whenever they needed 1st downs. Pay him what he wants
April 9th, 2022 at 2:44 am
This really is a wasted time of article.
Gronk WILL play for the Bucs this year.
Brady is a records guy.
Brady and Gronk can reach the unreachable this season.
Long story short…. He’ll play.
April 9th, 2022 at 3:05 am
Signing bonuses, void years, the Bucs have been using every trick in the book to keep as many guys as they can. They still have Smith’s and David’s contracts they can restructure, if needed, and they got two expensive kickers as well.
With that said, they’re $31m over the cap for next year already, and Brady accounts for $24m of that — and he’s not under contract. To avoid that $24m void year cap hit next year, they’d need to do a new deal before the 2023 league year. So just something to keep in mind.
But in any case the Bucs can keep kicking the salary cap down the road for now. The stupid Saints literally did it for a decade, and I don’t think they were using void years, which adds a whole new layer to things.
April 9th, 2022 at 4:28 am
Gronk might be done.
I wouldn’t offer him anything and see if he asks me for a deal.
Let him go play in Buffalo if he wants. He’s washed up.
April 9th, 2022 at 4:44 am
I agree with Doosh and D.R. and Bucsfan4
I love Gronk. But even IF his heart returns and he’s really in it to win it…how about his body. The spirit may be willing but the flesh may be weak.
So Doosh and D.R. is there any scenario we simply get a great tackle with ok hands and use him to block. There are some amazing physical freaks out there like Vita Vea who starred at running back in HS. He clearly has bulked up a lot since then but he just as clearly can still catch the ball.
I’m obviously not suggesting VV for the role..he’s too important elsewhere…simply suggesting that somewhere out there is a great big giant blocker who may lack speed and moves but can still catch if left wide open.
Since everybody would view him as our “blocking” TE he could get that job done and occasionally sneak out for a pass. Just thinking out loud.
April 9th, 2022 at 7:28 am
10 mil would have been done already…
gronk wants 12 to15
April 9th, 2022 at 8:47 am
Draft a young tight end, Gronk will only play one more season if he play. Pay young player’s that money, this team is old and began to become injury prone.
April 9th, 2022 at 11:46 am
Ninkovich is an idiot but Gronk is vital and worth the money. I’m not sure how heavily it weighs into Gronks decision though. I really think it’s more about injury potential
April 9th, 2022 at 12:15 pm
Gronk as great as he was should retire He was not the same after getting the snot knocked out of him last year Sorry just being realistic
April 10th, 2022 at 2:45 am
Bottom line just won’t be as much fun for Grady without Bronk