Rob Gronkowski Open To Patriots Return?
TUESDAY, 6:53pm: The Patriots placed Gronkowski on the reserve/retired list. They will hold the future Hall of Famer’s rights if he decides to backtrack on this decision.
MONDAY, 1:01pm: Gronkowski’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, appeared on NFL Network and said the retirement caught him by surprise (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network). “I was shocked. I thought Rob was going to come back and play,” he said. Rapoport writes that “his speculation, gut feeling, is that Gronk comes back at some point. But Rob told Rosenhaus he is ‘done, done, done.'”
MONDAY, 11:00am: Rob Gronkowski has retired from the NFL, but he might be willing to come back under the right circumstances. In an interview on ESPN, agent Drew Rosenhaus seemingly left the door open to Gronk suiting up for the Pats once again. 
[RELATED: Gronk Announces Retirement]
“If the team was struggling or they needed him at some point next year, and let’s just say hypothetically Tom Brady gave him a call and said ‘Rob, I need you.’ I wouldn’t be shocked if he came back to play a few games,” Rosenhaus said (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter).
Gronkowski has flirted with retirement in the past before changing course and suiting up for the NFL’s greatest dynasty. In the past, it appeared that Gronk had reservations about his health, motivation, and contract. Perhaps with some extra time to rest up – and a more lucrative offer from the Patriots – the tight end could consider a mid-season return.
For the Patriots, a mid-season addition of Gronkowski could be a game changer. After losing both Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen in free agency, the Patriots are short on answers at tight end with little in the way of remaining free agent options to fill the void.
Gronk didn’t look like his old self in 2018, but he’s one of the best to ever play the tight end position and is a force to be reckoned with when healthy. To date, Gronkowski has registered 521 receptions, 7,861 yards, and 79 touchdowns over the course of his legendary career.
Vikings Extend GM Rick Spielman
The Vikings have extended the contract of GM Rick Spielman, owner Mark Wilf says (Twitter link via Chad Graff of The Athletic). Spielman, like head coach Mike Zimmer, is now under contract through the 2020 season. 
The Vikings have acquired and locked up much of their core under Spielman. Key players such as Danielle Hunter, quarterback Kirk Cousins, running back Dalvin Cook, wide receiver Adam Thielen, offensive tackle Riley Reiff, center Pat Elflein, linebacker Eric Kendricks, safety Harrison Smith, cornerback Xavier Rhodes, and defensive end Everson Griffen are all under contract through 2020 and beyond.
Spielman, 56, spent six years as the team’s vice president of player personnel before being promoted to GM in 2012. Since then, the team has seen its fair share of ups and downs, including last year’s disappointing 8-7-1 finish. Still, the talent is there, and the Vikings have the potential to contend in 2019.
Robert Kraft Pleads Not Guilty
On Tuesday, Patriots owner Robert Kraft pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor counts of soliciting prostitution. Kraft has denied engaging in any illegal activity and recently turned down a proposed plea agreement that called for him to admit that he would have been found guilty in trial. 
Florida authorities say they have hidden camera footage showing Kraft receiving sex acts from women working at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa. The footage, they say, also shows Kraft handing the women cash after the acts.
The sting, purported to be an undercover operation against human trafficking, has yet to yield any charges of human trafficking. Instead, authorities nabbed Kraft and 24 other accused Johns.
Recently, Kraft issued a statement on the case, though he did not explicitly admit any wrongdoing in his apology.
“I am truly sorry,” Kraft said in the statement. “I know I have hurt and disappointed my family, my close friends, my co-workers, our fans and many others who rightfully hold me to a higher standard. Throughout my life, I have always tried to do the right thing. The last thing I would ever want to do is disrespect another human being. I have extraordinary respect for women; my morals and my soul were shaped by the most wonderful woman, the love of my life, who I was blessed to have as my partner for 50 years.”
Bills Release Chris Ivory
The Bills have released running back Chris Ivory, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Ivory was no longer needed in Buffalo after the club signed Frank Gore this offseason to support LeSean McCoy. 
Ivory, 31, amassed just 385 yards and one touchdown last year with an average of 3.3 yards per carry. Given the presence of Gore and Ivory’s scheduled $2.9MM cap hit, this was pretty much a no-brainer for the Bills. By releasing Ivory, the Bills will save $2.156MM against just $750K in dead money.
The Bills have upwards of $35MM in cap space after releasing the veteran, putting them in the same tier as the Browns, Titans, Jets, and Raiders, who are all hovering around ~$30MM in room. The Colts, Texans, and 49ers currently lead the way, though there’s a big gap between Indy and everyone else. The Colts have a projected $74.5MM in cash to work with after sitting on their cash stockpile in the early stretch of free agency.
Dolphins Tried To Acquire Matthew Stafford
The Dolphins tried to trade for Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford before the start of the 2018 season, multiple league sources tell Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. The talks did not progress to the point where the Dolphins were asked about what they’d give up, but it’s an indication that the Dolphins were thinking about moving on from Ryan Tannehill earlier than anyone thought. 
Former head coach Adam Gase, Salguero hears, reached out personally to Lions coach Matt Patricia to orchestrate a deal. The belief is that Gase would have offered at minimum Miami’s 2018 first-round pick and probably more. Patricia, however, said he was unwilling to move on from Stafford.
Leading up to the 2018 season, Tannehill missed 20 straight games with a knee injury. But, until word of the Stafford discussions, it was believed that the Dolphins were only looking at QB options in the draft. Ultimately, the Dolphins did not move on a QB class that included Josh Rosen, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and Josh Allen. Instead, they stood pat at No. 11 overall and selected defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick.
The Fins did not land Stafford, obviously, but they’ve overhauled the QB room nonetheless. Tannehill was shipped to the Titans earlier this month and Ryan Fitzpatrick is now set to start under center in South Beach.
Rams Want To Lock Up Marcus Peters
The Rams “absolutely” want to sign cornerback Marcus Peters to an extension, head coach Sean McVay says (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Lindsey Thiry). McVay highlighted Peters’ strong play in the second half of the 2018 season as reason for the club wanting to lock him up. 
Peters, 26, is entering the fifth year of his rookie contract. After that, the Rams have the option of keeping him off of the free market with the franchise tag, but that would be an expensive proposition. This offseason, the one-year tender for cornerbacks was set at $16.022MM. Next year, that number is expected to climb north of $17MM.
Last year, Peters started in all 16 of the Rams’ regular season games plus the club’s three postseason contests. Peters finished with 43 tackles and three interceptions, including a pick six in Week 1 against the Raiders. Two of his INTs came in the second half of the season and he impressed in the Super Bowl while many of the club’s other stars sagged.
For what it’s worth, the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus were not super impressed with Peters on the whole. He graded out as just the 78th best cornerback in the NFL out of 112 qualified players, a far cry from his top 20 placement in 2017.
Browns Rumors: Hunt, Simmons, Draft, OBJ
The Browns are asking the NFL to allow Kareem Hunt to remain with the team during his eight-game suspension, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer. Players are typically banned from the team facility and all activities during personal conduct policy suspensions, but the club is looking for an exemption in Hunt’s case.
Given Hunt’s history, this could be an uphill battle for the Browns. While we wait for developments on that front, here’s more from Cleveland:
- It sounds like GM John Dorsey will consider Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons in the upcoming draft, despite his red flags. “I think from your standpoint, what you should do is you should talk to the coaches and the support system at Starkville, Mississippi State, and just see what kind of man that guy really is,” Dorsey said (via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal). The Browns might not be able to land Simmons with their first pick at No. 49 overall, but trading up is always a possibility.
- Dorsey expects Odell Beckham Jr. to arrive in Cleveland for the start of the voluntary offseason program on Monday, April 1 (via Cabot). “He’s excited,’’ Dorsey said. “There’s a genuine excitement there. There’s familiarity with some teammates. There’s familiarity with his position coach. I’m sure he’s … he’s got a relationship with Baker so I’m sure he’s excited to be part of this new beginning for him.’’
Raiders To Sign QB Landry Jones
The Raiders signed quarterback Landry Jones, according to a team announcement. He’ll join Derek Carr, new addition Mike Glennon, and Nathan Peterman in a suddenly crowded QB room. 
Ben Roethlisberger‘s backup for a few seasons, Jones saw the Steelers go with Joshua Dobbs and rookie Mason Rudolph in 2018. Jones landed with the Jaguars, but the stay was brief. He also worked out for the Redskins, Bills, 49ers, Patriots, Cowboys, and Bucs last year.
Up until the Jags deal, Jones spent his entire NFL career with the Steelers. In a limited sample of playing time, Jones completed 64% of his throws with eight touchdowns against seven interceptions. Among the quarterbacks who have thrown at least 160 passes between 2013 and 2017, Jones ranked 35th in passer rating and 26th in adjusted net yards per attempt, but it’s difficult to assign much relevance to those numbers given his lack of reps.
Of course, the Raiders could still go shopping for a quarterback in the draft and they may still be eyeing another former Oklahoma QB in Kyler Murray.
Seahawks To Meet With Earl Mitchell
Defensive tackle Earl Mitchell will visit the Seahawks on Wednesday, a source tells Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter). Mitchell became available earlier offseason when the Niners declined to pick up his option for 2019. 
Mitchell, 31, inked a four-year, $16MM deal with the 49ers last offseason after previously spending time with the Texans and Dolphins. In 2018, Mitchell appeared in 14 games and played on 39% of San Francisco’s defensive snaps, racking up 28 tackles (two for loss) in that time. Pro Football Focus graded Mitchell as just the No. 89 interior defender among 112 qualifiers.
After losing Shamar Stephen to the Vikings, the Seahawks are on the lookout for help in the middle. As it stands, the Seahawks have five DTs under contract in Jarran Reed, Poona Ford, Quinton Jefferson, Nazair Jones, and Jamie Meder.
Jets Rumors: Lee, Draft, Smith
Jets GM Mike Maccagnan gave a series of non-answers when asked about the future of linebacker Darron Lee. But, as Brian Costello of the New York Post writes, his positive comments may have actually been a not-so-subtle way to advertise Lee’s availability.
“I think that will work itself out over time,” Maccagnan said when asked about the fate of the former first-round pick. “Right now, we feel very good about our inside-linebacker position between Darron, Avery [Williamson], C.J. [Mosley], we also signed Neville Hewitt. Quite frankly, Darron’s contract is not a big contract. I think it’s only about $1.7 or [1.8] million. It just gives us a lot of pieces there right now and we’ll figure it out as we go forward.”
Maccagnan drafted Lee in the first round of the 2016 draft, but the club is unlikely to exercise his fifth-year option before the May deadline. The GM dismissed the trade speculation, but the club is reportedly set to shop him during the draft.
Here’s more on Gang Green:
- The Jets’ No. 3 overall pick is for sale, but they’re unlikely to move up to No. 2 or No. 1 (via Costello). “We’re very open to potentially moving back from three,” Maccagnan said. “I wouldn’t envision us moving up in the draft. I think you can rule that one out. If we end up staying at three and taking a player, we think there are some very good players at three. But we’d definitely be interested if another team came with an offer that we felt was worthy of moving out of the spot. We would definitely consider that. Not to say we’re committed to doing it, but we’d definitely be very intrigued by that.”
- The draft is still one month away, but Maccagnan indicated that the Jets have already had preliminary trade talks with other clubs about moving down from No. 3 (via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY). “We’ve definitely had conversations,” he said. “People have reached out, put out feelers. Nobody is actively trying to do anything at this point in time. But you have conversations and put out feelers, just like how they’re putting out feelers to us.“
- Maccagnan says the Jets pursued pass rusher Za’Darius Smith in free agency (via Manish Mehta of the Daily News). Ultimately, however, Smith chose the Packers when he flew from the Ravens earlier this month.
- Also from Costello, Maccagnan indicated that he would be comfortable with Jonotthan Harrison starting at center and Darryl Roberts playing first-string at cornerback. Both positions have been presumed areas of need for the Jets. Outside linebacker may also still be a need, even after re-signing Brandon Copeland.