This week, the Buccaneers have added not one but two replacements for tight end Rob Gronkowski, who continues to insist he’s done.
But even with tight end Kyle Rudolph and receiver Julio Jones (who has the body to replace some of Gronk’s catches in the red zone), the Buccaneers wouldn’t slam the door in Gronk’s face, if he decides to play.
“I don’t want to deal with hypotheticals,” G.M. Jason Licht said Thursday when asked about the possibility of Gronk changing his mind and coming back. “We all know that Gronk is a heck of a player -- it would be hard to turn down.”
Indeed it would. Still, he’s been as clear as he can be that he’s not coming back, even if he gets a personal plea from Tom Brady.
That likely would happen only if the Bucs are ravaged by injury at the tight end or receiver position. Last year, they had plenty of injuries at wideout.