Gronkowski plans to return; Beckham working with Giants
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski says he is returning for his ninth NFL season.
Gronkowski made the announcement in a post on Instagram on Tuesday. Gronkowski said he met with coach Bill Belichick to inform him of his intention to return, adding he’s “been working out, staying in shape and feels great.”
Gronk previously hinted at considering retirement following New England’s Super Bowl loss to the Eagles in February.
He appeared in 14 games during the 2017 season and led the team in receiving with 69 catches for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns.
Gronkowski was knocked out of last season’s AFC Championship game with a concussion but was able to return in time for the Super Bowl. He missed the Patriots’ 2017 Super Bowl win over Atlanta after undergoing back surgery.
Giants: Odell Beckham Jr. has a penchant for popping up in the darndest places, and it can be hard to keep track of him and his globe-trotting lifestyle. But of all the strange and eccentric places for Beckham to be spotted, for many, this one may seem to be the least likely. Beckham is with the Giants, participating as much as he is allowed to in this week’s voluntary veteran minicamp that began Tuesday. He wasn’t traded. He isn’t holding out. He’s not even rehabbing in some glamorous city where he can train during the day and party at night.
After weeks of speculation over what Beckham wants, what the Giants might do, and what their future together holds, Beckham’s presence makes it clear that his intention is to be a member of the organization. Now and probably for the longterm. Showing up at a voluntary minicamp goes a long way toward showing respect to a new coaching staff, assuaging maturity fears from the front office, and extending what may be seen as a peace offering in the early stages of a longterm contract negotiation.
It’s such a gesture that head coach Pat Shurmur, who last spoke about a month ago only vaguely about Beckham’s place on the team in 2018, offered the most concrete assurances of the wide receiver’s status this offseason.
“Absolutely,” Shurmur said on Tuesday when asked if Beckham will be a Giant in the fall. “He’s an excellent player. He’s a part of our team and a very valued member of our team.”
Rams: Picked up their fifth-year contract options for 2019 on running back Todd Gurley and cornerback Marcus Peters.
Gurley led the NFL in all-purpose yards as the league’s Offensive Player of the Year last season, thriving in new coach Sean McVay’s offense. The Rams acquired two-time Pro Bowler Peters from the Chiefs in February, and he is expected to start alongside fellow newcomer Aqib Talib.
Dolphins: Picked up the fifth-year option for wide receiver DeVante Parker. The 2015 first-round pick will earn about $9.3 million for the 2019 season. He has 139 receptions for 1,908 yards and eight touchdowns for his career.