The New England Patriots are moving up three rounds in the 2020 NFL Draft to trade retired All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Patriots are sending Gronkowski and a seventh-round pick to the Buccaneers for a fourth-round selection, per ESPN. The Buccaneers hold the 117th and 139th overall picks in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The Patriots hold the 230th and 241st overall picks in the seventh round.
Gronkowski will reunite with former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady with the Buccaneers.
This might seem like low compensation, but the Patriots’ hands were tied. If Gronkowski applied for reinstatement, he would have counted nearly $10 million against their salary cap. The Patriots have just over $1 million in cap space.
The last two retired NFL players who were traded, Marshawn Lynch and Rolando McClain, were dealt for lower-round pick swaps.
