Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady are teammates again, as the Patriots traded the tight end to the Buccaneers on Tuesday. New England will receive a fourth-round pick, while the Buccaneers will also receive a seventh-round pick in the deal, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Gronkowski, who retired after the 2018 season and turns 31 next month, has one year and $9 million remaining on his contract. He caught 47 passes for 682 yards and three touchdowns over 13 games in 2018. He has been named first-team All-Pro four times in his career and has made five Pro Bowls.
So what should we expect from Gronk in 2020? And how do we see the season going for the Bucs and Patriots? Our panel of NFL experts weighs in on what's next:
What's your gut reaction to the Gronk trade?
Matt Bowen, NFL analyst: I like the move for both teams. The Patriots scooped up a fourth-round pick for a player who was never going to suit up again in Foxborough. And for the Bucs, they just added a tight end with the ability to stretch the seams for Brady.
Mike Clay, fantasy writer: The deal makes sense for both sides. It's a high upside/low investment move for a Buccaneers team with short-term Super Bowl aspirations. The Patriots should feel fortunate to get anything for a player who had no interest in returning to their locker room.
Dan Graziano, national NFL writer: I'm a little surprised Gronk came back at all, but since he did and only wanted to play for one team, this deal makes sense both ways. The Pats trade a seventh-round pick for a fourth-rounder and have to throw in a player who wasn't going to play for them anyway.
Aaron Schatz, editor of Football Outsiders: The Patriots don't lose anything from this deal, because they already lost Gronk a year ago. If he has something left in the tank, he's a nice addition for the Bucs, although I still think they're making a mistake if they trade away 25-year-old tight end O.J. Howard to make room for him. Use them both! Also, don't forget that Gronk improves the Bucs' running game because he's such a strong blocker.
Kevin Seifert, national NFL writer: Everything was gravy here for the Patriots. Everything. Gronkowski was never going to play for them again. Brady was the only quarterback with whom he was willing to play. So whether they got a fourth-round pick, a seventh-round pick or a bag of footballs, it was essentially bonus compensation.
Field Yates, NFL analyst: The Patriots essentially picked up a free fourth-round pick. There was only one team Gronk would play for -- the Bucs. There was no leveraging their offer against another team. The options were to orchestrate a deal with Tampa Bay to add to their draft capital this year, or decline a deal and continue to leave Gronk on the reserve/retired list.