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.
Predict Gronk's 2020 stat line:
Bowen: 49 catches, 606 yards, 5 TDs. Those are fair numbers for Gronk given his injury history and the expected volume for wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Gronk can run the seams and crossers off play-action in the Tampa system, and the Bucs can isolate him inside the plus 10-yard line to create scoring opportunities on slants and fades.
Clay: 52 receptions, 699 yards, 5 TDs. This will feel low to some, but a few things to consider: This is a 14-game projection (Gronkowski hasn't played a full 16-game regular season since 2011), Evans and Godwin will remain huge factors, and Gronk wasn't his early-career self in the scoring department even before his retirement (14 TDs over his final 35 games).
Graziano: 64 catches, 623 yards, 8 TDs. I think he plays a big role, especially near the goal line, and shows flashes of dominance in the 12 games he plays.
Schatz: 47 catches, 686 yards, 5 TDs. Even in his down 2018 season, Gronk averaged 14.5 yards per reception, and I'd expect him to average something similar as a seam-stretcher in Bruce Arians' offense.
Seifert: 35 catches, 401 yards, 6 TDs. I'm accounting for the other supremely talented offensive skill players on the Bucs' roster.
Yates: 42 catches, 512 yards, 5 TDs. I'm no Mike Clay, so I concede this is an exercise of guesswork, and these numbers might come across as modest. Plus, the Bucs have a ton of potential targets.
What will the Bucs' record be in 2020?
Bowen: 10-6. Brady upgrades the entire offense in Tampa, and the addition of Gronkowski is another boost to the passing game. With a tough slate to work through in the NFC South, however, the Bucs won't catch the Saints, settling for a wild-card spot.
Clay: 9-7. I already viewed the Buccaneers' roster as borderline top five on paper, so this just helps the cause. The offensive skill positions are loaded, the offensive line is passable and the defense finished 2019 strongly and has a terrific combination of solid players and high-pedigree youngsters. The big roadblock to more wins will be an absolutely loaded Saints team, but Tampa Bay will give them a run for the division.
Graziano: 9-7. I'm still not sure I trust the offensive line all the way, but they could add an offensive lineman with the No. 14 overall pick. And the lack of an offseason won't help with so much being new in key spots.
Schatz: 9-7. A lot depends on just how much of Brady's decline last season was on him and how much was the weapons around him. And the Tampa Bay defense is likely to regress after improving from 32nd to fifth in DVOA last season.
Seifert: 10-6. They'll be a playoff team, but they play in a division that includes a Super Bowl contender in New Orleans, a likely improved team in Atlanta and a third that's difficult to project in Carolina.
Yates: I'll stick with 10-6, as the Bucs play in an intensely competitive division. The Saints and Falcons have playoff aspirations, and the NFC South profiles as one of the toughest divisions in football.
What will the Patriots' record be in 2020?
Bowen: 9-7. With changeover at quarterback, this will be a team that leans on its defensive personnel/scheme. And a 9-7 record seems like a reasonable ceiling in the AFC East.
Clay: 8-8. Brady is gone and a dominant 2019 defense lost key performers Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, Duron Harmon and Danny Shelton during the offseason. It's hard to have high expectations for a team with complete uncertainty at quarterback, but at the end of the day, Bill Belichick is still the coach. He's worth a few wins and keeps this team in the playoff discussion in what should again be a weak division.
Graziano: 10-6. I still think Belichick figures something out, and the only real threat in the division is Buffalo, whose quarterback remains a wild card. No way does the Patriots' September roster look exactly like the one they have now.
Schatz: 8-8. The Patriots' defense is in for a really strong regression, especially given the unsustainable turnover rate it was feasting off in the first half of last year. Combine that with a total question mark at quarterback, and even 8-8 would be a testament to Belichick's coaching ability.
Seifert: 9-7. I think back to the 2008 season, the Packers' first after Brett Favre's departure. Even with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, they went 6-10. The 2020 Patriots are a better team, and Belichick will have them in playoff contention, but there almost certainly will be some level of backslide.
Yates: 9-7. We are a long ways away from the season, and we'll see how the personnel further develops, but believe wholeheartedly in the infrastructure in New England. The Pats will be exceedingly well-coached, tough and a team that understands the altered expectations. Led by a strong defense, a winning record is within reach.