Report: Patriots shopped Gronkowski 3 days before draft
The New England Patriots called teams about a potential Rob Gronkowski trade three days before the 2018 NFL Draft, a league source told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
It's unclear what the Patriots sought in return for the five-time All-Pro tight end, who publicly declared two days before the draft that he would return for the 2018 season. There were whispers leading up to the draft that Gronkowski was available for trade because of his reluctance to commit to his playing future, as well as his desire for a revised contract.
A recent rumor claimed the Patriots were on the verge of trading Gronkowski, prompting quarterback Tom Brady to threaten retirement and owner Robert Kraft to veto the transaction. Kraft labeled that report "hogwash" on Tuesday.
Related - Gronk dismisses trade rumors: 'Shows how much fake news is out there'
The agent for rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield - who was selected by the Cleveland Browns first overall - said after the draft that New England tried to trade up to land his client.
Gronkowski, who turned 29 years old in May, posted 1,084 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 14 regular-season contests last year.