Another day, another Pro Football Talk speculation story about the Bucs. But this one is not about Tom Brady or Bruce Arians.

The latest is regarding tight end Rob Gronkowski, who has yet to re-sign with Tampa Bay. The PFT story speculates that Gronkowski’s contract demands may be what is keeping him unsigned. And as it turns out, it’s another incorrect speculation piece – as usual.

“At the heart of the issue could be the question of what the Bucs can or will pay Gronkowski,” wrote PFT’s Mike Florio.”It’s not unreasonable to ask whether Gronk is worth more than the $8 million or $10 million or whatever compensation package the Bucs will offer him.

“He’s worth a lot more than that. The question is whether they offer him enough to make playing worth his while.”

Gronkowski, who just turned 33, is using the offseason to weigh his options. Does he want to retire again, as he did during the 2019 season? Or will he play one more year now that Tom Brady has un-retired and is back for one more season with the Bucs?

The fact that the future Hall of Fame tight end has yet to sign has absolutely nothing to do with money, according to a source close to the Gronkowski situation.

Gronkowski Has Played On Deals Below Market Value Before

Gronkowski has signed two one-year deals since he came out of retirement, with the Bucs acquiring him in a trade with the Patriots in 2020. He played the 2020 season for $10 million, which was the final year remaining on his New England deal. Gronkowski then signed a one-year contract with the Bucs worth $8.5 million last season, according to OverTheCap.com.

Bucs TE Rob Gronkowski – Photo by: USA Today

If he decides to play one more season, it is reasonable to expect that Gronkowski would play on a similar deal worth between $8.5 million and $10 million. Gronkowski caught 45 passes for 623 yards (13.8 avg.) and seven touchdowns in the 2020 regular season, and he added a pair of TDs in Super Bowl LV. Last year, he hauled in 55 passes for 802 yards (14.6 avg.) and six touchdowns in 12 games.

Even if Gronkowski wanted a slight raise after a better statistical season, the Bucs could certainly afford it and would be willing to pay it. Tampa Bay has cleared an additional $9.72 million in cap room by restructuring Brady’s contract this offseason. The team currently has $12,167,430 of available cap space to sign Gronkowski and the rest of the team’s draft picks.

At the time of his big, six-year contract extension with the Patriots in 2012, Gronkowski became the highest-paid tight end in the league. But since his $54 million extension, the five-time Pro Bowler has not seemed to care about remaining on top financially. Perhaps it’s the extra millions of dollars he makes in commercials and endorsements. Gronkowski has famously lived off of his endorsement revenue and saved every bit of his football salary through the years.

Gronkowski Is Enjoying His Offseason And Deciding Whether To Return To Football

So, for PFT to suggest that Gronkowski might be holding out for more money seems curious at best. Given the last two below-market value contracts he’s signed, there is no recent evidence to suggest that money is the reason why Gronkowski hasn’t signed with the Bucs yet.

Instead, it’s obvious that Gronkowski wanted to have plenty of rest and fun this offseason, given his Gronk Beach bash the weekend of the NFL Draft in Las Vegas. If Gronkowski decides to re-sign with the Bucs, it will likely be right before the team’s mandatory mini-camp, which begins on June 6, or the start of training camp in late July.

Gronkowski currently has a dead cap hit of $5 million as a result of the team deferring some of his cap hit from last year’s contract to a voidable year in 2022. Gronkowski was paid $8.5 million in cash last year, but only hit the Bucs’ salary cap for $3.5 million. If he re-signs with Tampa Bay, the team will likely deploy a similar contract structure to lower his 2022 cap charge and push some of that salary into the future with dead money in 2023.