Chiefs Still In Mix For DL Allen Bailey
Free agent defensive lineman Allen Bailey is still considering a return to the Chiefs, while the Patriots — who met with Bailey earlier this month — are also still in the mix, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Kansas City is moving to a 4-3 defense under new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, and that shift would likely entail a minor position change for the 6’3″, 288-pound Bailey if he re-signs with the Chiefs. After playing defensive end in the Chiefs’ 3-4 scheme, Bailey would play tackle in a 4-3 look. Defensive tackle isn’t necessarily an area of need for Kansas City, which already boasts Chris Jones, Derrick Nnadi, and Xavier Williams in the middle of it defensive line.
The Patriots have made one addition at defensive tackle this offseason by bringing in free agent Mike Pennel, but they’ve also lost Malcom Brown to the Saints and could potentially be without free agent Danny Shelton, who has yet to sign a new contract with any club. New England will also be without defensive end Trey Flowers — who had the ability to rush from the interior on passing downs — after he inked a massive deal with the Lions..
Bailey, 30, has spent his entire career with the Chiefs after entering the league as a third-round pick in 2011. He became a full-time starter in 2014, and last season posted six sacks, 38 tackles, and two forced fumbles across 16 games while ranking as just the No. 91 interior defender among 112 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Bailey just wrapped up a four-year extension that paid him $6.25MM annually.
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.
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.”
Jared Cook Remains Committed To Saints
Rob Gronkowski is retired – we think – and that leaves the Patriots with a serious void at tight end. Some have speculated that the Patriots could convince Jared Cook to back out of his not-yet-signed commitment to the Saints, but that won’t happen, according to Peter King of NBC Sports. 
Cook will not reconsider his decision, according to King. That’s disappointing news for the Pats’ front office, especially since they aggressively pursued the former Raiders tight end.
Cook would not have been a true “replacement” for Gronkowski, but he would have given the Patriots a quality pass-catcher to keep the offense moving. Last year, the 31-year-old started 14 of his 16 games, hauling in 68 receptions for 896 yards and six scores. It was the most productive season of Cook’s career, though he has topped 50 catches in three other seasons.
Instead, Cook intends to still sign with the Saints, where he has an opportunity to fill a role similar to the one occupied by Jimmy Graham years ago. Drew Brees tends to spread the ball around in the New Orleans offense, but Cook could be an opportunity to assert himself as one of the very best tight ends in the NFL, especially now that Gronk is focusing on non-football endeavors.
Reactions To Rob Gronkowski’s Retirement
Rob Gronkowski stepping away from football sent shockwaves through the NFL. While it wasn’t totally unexpected, it came suddenly and has left a massive hole in the Patriots’ offense. Gronkowski’s retirement will have implications well beyond what happens in New England, and reactions and additional tidbits about the retirement began pouring in soon after he made the announcement on his Instagram. We’ve compiled the best of those below:
- Gronkowski called Patriots owner Robert Kraft to let him know of his decision earlier today, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Reiss writes that Kraft “found out not long before” Gronkowski made the social media post announcing the news himself. It sounds like New England didn’t have much advance notice, and as such not too much time to prepare for the news.
- Gronk’s decision will give the Patriots some additional cap flexibility. The retirement will save the team around $9.5MM in cap space for this season, notes Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (Twitter link). New England also recently restructured the contract of cornerback Stephon Gilmore, so they have a decent amount of money to work with.
- The Patriots reportedly “aggressively courted” tight end Jared Cook before he decided to head to New Orleans, but New England shouldn’t give up on signing Cook, writes Darin Gantt of ProFootballTalk.com. Gantt points out that Cook still hasn’t officially signed with the Saints, and that the Patriots recently attempted to steal away Adam Humphries at the 11th hour after he had agreed to sign with the Titans. Cook reportedly chose the Saints because of the uncertainty surrounding Gronkowski, so it’s reasonable to think he could reconsider with Gronk now out of the picture.
- With not many big name tight ends left available in free agency, the Patriots could turn to the draft to replace Gronkowski. The Patriots “immediately become a favorite for Noah Fant or Irv Smith if they’re available” when the Patriots pick at number 32 in the draft, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Fant is the tight end from Iowa while Smith is from Alabama, and both could go toward the end of the first round. Miller writes he could also see the Pats taking Dawson Knox from Ole Miss in the second round.
- Kraft and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick both released statements on Gronkowski’s retirement, which you can view here courtesy of this tweet from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Both men gushed over Gronkowski, and declared him one of the best tight ends to ever play.
Rob Gronkowski Announces Retirement
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has announced his retirement via his Instagram page. Gronkowski released a lengthy statement in the caption to the post, saying in part:
It all started at 20 years old on stage at the NFL draft when my dream came true, and now here I am about to turn 30 in a few months with a decision I feel is the biggest of my life so far. I will be retiring from the game of football today. I am so grateful for the opportunity that Mr. Kraft and Coach Belichick gave to me when drafting my silliness in 2010. My life experiences over the last 9 years have been amazing both on and off the field. The people I have meet, the relationships I have built, the championships I have been apart of, I just want to thank the whole New England Patriots organization for every opportunity I have been giving and learning the great values of life that I can apply to mine.”
Gronkowski has flirted with retirement in the past, but it felt especially sincere this time around, and the recent increased chatter about retirement turned out to be accurate. The surefire future Hall of Fame member was reportedly nearly traded to the Lions last offseason, but threatened to retire in order to block it. We heard earlier this morning that the Patriots “aggressively courted” Jared Cook before he decided to sign with the Saints, which in hindsight might’ve foreshadowed this move.
Gronkowski entered the league as a second round pick out of Arizona back in 2010. He immediately became a star, and was a generational talent at the tight end position. But he was done in by injuries the past handful of seasons, with recurrent back injuries and other ailments. If this really is it, he’ll be retiring at the age of 29. Gronkowski is hanging up his cleats as a three-time Super Bowl champion and a four-time first-team All-Pro.
Gronk had some big moments this past season, but overall didn’t look like his old self. He appeared in 13 games, catching 47 passes for 682 yards and three touchdowns. For his career, he’ll finish with 521 receptions, 7,861 yards, and 79 touchdowns. He wasn’t just a pass-catcher, as the Patriots’ running game always ran through his blocking. He’ll go down as one of, if not the, best tight ends of all time. Gronkowski has numerous off-field interests, and has signaled an interest in going into acting in the past.
The Patriots signed former Broncos tight end Matt LaCaosse earlier this month, but are almost certainly not done adding to the position. They’re armed with 12 draft picks, and should be a good bet to take a tight end early next month.
Patriots Had Offered Ryan Allen Multiyear Deal; Jason McCourty Received Interest From Other Clubs
- The Patriots recently re-signed punter Ryan Allen to a one-year deal, but Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says the club actually had a multiyear offer on the table. Allen, though, preferred the shorter option because he did not like the money he was being offered on the open market, and he wanted a chance to increase his worth on a prove-it deal. Reiss says, however, that New England could be more inclined to bring in competition for Allen, just as it did last season.
- Reiss observes that cornerback Jason McCourty, who recently signed a two-year, $10MM pact to remain with the Patriots, did receive interest from several other clubs. McCourty had made it clear that he wanted to return to New England, so while he appreciated the opportunity to hit the open market at the start of free agency for the first time in his career, he is happy with how things turned out.
Patriots “Aggressively Courted” Jared Cook
Veteran tight end Jared Cook has agreed to sign with the Saints, and we had heard that the Patriots were monitoring his market prior to that decision. However, it seems as though New England’s interest went beyond the monitoring stage.
Per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, a source close to Cook said the Pats aggressively courted the soon-to-be 32-year-old, who chose New Orleans instead because of the uncertain status of Rob Gronkowski. Gronk has still not committed to playing in 2019, but he may be leaning in that direction, so the Saints offer a clearer path to the top of the tight end depth chart.
The Patriots’ pursuit of Cook does not necessarily mean that they believe Gronkowski will choose to retire. If Gronk retires, Cook certainly would have been a worthy replacement, but if Gronkowski comes back, he and Cook could have teamed up to create a formidable tight end tandem (a la Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez).
Indeed, New England is in need of receiving help any way it can get it. The club made a push to sign free agent wideout Adam Humphries, and it was also in on Cole Beasley. Humphries and Beasley ended up signing with the Titans and Bills, respectively, outfits that do not profile as legitimate championship contenders in 2019.
Meanwhile, the Patriots have made a series of more low-key transactions, adding wideouts Maurice Harris and Bruce Ellington and re-signing Phillip Dorsett. Those deals could end up paying dividends, and it is never wise to discount New England’s offense, but the team would probably be feeling a bit better if Cook were in the fold.
Latest On Patriots Owner Robert Kraft
On Saturday, Patriots owner Robert Kraft released his first statement since being charged with two misdemeanor counts of soliciting, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. 
“I am truly sorry. 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.”
Documents released by the Palm Beach Attorney’s Office indicate Kraft visited the Orchids of Asia Day Spa twice in a 24-hour span, and on Jan. 20 was videotaped receiving “oral and manual sex” from a woman at the Jupiter, Fla., Spa. According to officials, Kraft gave the woman a $100 bill and another bill before leaving. He flew to Kansas City shortly after this alleged act, being in attendance for the Patriots-Chiefs game later that day.
Earlier this week, the Patriots owner rejected a plea deal that would have had Kraft admit that he would’ve been found guilty had the case gone to court. Kraft and his lawyers have denied any wrongdoing at every step so far, and his lawyer William Buck has stated that he believes the video evidence violates the fourth amendment, according to the New York Post’s Emily Smith.
“We’ve looked at…the law around the warrant for the video surveillance inside the spa, and we think it is a violation of the fourth amendment. We also believe the traffic stop [made by police as the men left the spa] was illegal and a violation of the constitution.”
Also this week, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder believes the video evidence will eventually be made public, NBC Sports’ Darren Hartwell writes.
“Once a case is over, it’s not an ongoing investigation,” Snyder said. “There has to be a specific reason not to release a public record. And the fact that there is sexual activity is not an exemption.”
Kraft’s court date is set for March 28. Before he appears, however, he is expected to be in attendance at the NFL’s owner meetings, which begin Sunday.
Patriots Restructure Stephon Gilmore’s Contract
New England is freeing up some cap space. The Patriots are restructuring the contract of cornerback Stephon Gilmore, a source told Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
According to Yates, the Patriots converted $8.5MM of the salary left on Gilmore’s contract into a signing bonus. The move will free up $5.67MM in cap space this year, giving the Pats some extra flexibility in free agency while giving Gilmore more money up front. Gilmore has one of the largest contracts on the team, and this isn’t the first time they’ve re-worked his deal.
The Patriots restructured his contract in October of last year to free up some immediate cap space. Gilmore has three seasons left on the five-year, $65 million pact he signed back in March of 2017. Gilmore’s Patriots tenure got off to a rocky start, but he’s since adapted quite well and has become one of the best players on the team.
He’s come up huge in the playoffs, having the game-sealing pass deflection in the AFC Championship Game two seasons ago as well as the crucial fourth quarter interception of Jared Goff in the most recent Super Bowl.