Report: Patriots Engaged in Rob Gronkowski Trade Talks During Offseason

Gronkowski agreed to a reworked contract with New England in August.

The Patriots engaged in trade talks surrounding Rob Gronkowski during the offseason according to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, but the tight end "strongly resisted" leaving New England. 

Per Rapoport, New England had a number of interested suitors for Gronkowski. But the four-time All-Pro reportedly said he would rather retire than play for another franchise or quarterback. 

Gronkowski's plea to stay in New England marked a different tone than his stance during the offseason. He remained non-committal about his football future, saying in February, "we’ll sit down in the next couple of weeks and see where I’m at."

Gronkowski and agent Drew Rosenhaus met with the Patriots in August, leading to a revised contract that added $4.3 million in incentives to Gronkowski's 2018 salary.

An eight-year veteran out of Arizona, Gronkowski has become the NFL's preeminent tight end since entering the league in 2010. He's registered 474 career catches and 76 touchdowns, adding 69 receptions for 1084 yards in 2018. 

Gronkowski and the Patriots began their 2018 campaign with a 27–20 win over the Texans on Sunday.