When Tom Brady chose to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they immediately became a hot destination for offensive free agents. They also became a potential fit for a certain recently retired tight end who has been in Florida with the WWE.
Reports of Rob Gronkowski’s interest in the Bucs began a few weeks back, but on Tuesday they picked up steam in the form of just about every mainstream reporter offering insight into trade discussions between New England and Tampa Bay. Not long after that smoke formed, we got word from ESPN’s Adam Schefter that a deal was, indeed, done, and the Bucs would acquire Gronk and a seventh round pick for their fourth round selection in this weekend’s draft.
Trade, pending physical: Patriots are trading TE Rob Gronkowski and a seventh-round pick to the Buccaneers for a fourth-round pick, source tells ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 21, 2020
#Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski has taken his physical already, sources say. So the trade should happen: Gronk and a 7th for a 4th rounder.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 21, 2020
It reunites Gronk with Brady, the only quarterback he’s ever been willing to play with — he famously vetoed a trade to Detroit a few years back ahead of the Draft by threatening to retire. It also make O.J. Howard expendable for the Bucs, who could move him this week to make up even more draft capital as they look to make themselves into a contender immediately. The fourth round pick for Gronk is actually a pretty good return for New England, considering he has no trade value for anyone else since he is retired, but the Bucs are here to make Brady happy and giving him his greatest security blanket of all time is a good way to do that.
How this impacts Gronk’s run as WWE 24/7 Champion remains to be seen, however, there are a few possibilities.
1. Gronk must drop the 24/7 Belt
2. Gronk defends the belt on off days, Rodman style
3. The 24/7 belt gets passed around the NFL based on who tackles and (as such) pins whoever holds the belt.
Let’s hope for the third option.
