Rob Gronkowski 'does expect to play' for Bucs in 2022?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have largely reassembled the core of their 2021 team, but Rob Gronkowski’s status is still outstanding.

Gronkowski is still pondering his status for the 2022 season and has made no announcements since Tom Brady ended his brief retirement last month. According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, however, Gronkowski appears more likely than not to play next year.

“I don’t see him anywhere else but Tampa if he plays,” La Canfora told CBS Sports HQ on Saturday. “He’s given some indications that he does expect to play. This is not somebody that needs to be there for the first day of lifting. This is not somebody who needs to prove his worth during OTAs and earn Tom Brady’s trust. … The band is essentially back. I believe Rob Gronkowski, at his own pace, will be back as well.”

The public word from Gronkowski’s agent is that the tight end is genuinely undecided on playing in 2022. That said, he clearly hinted at a comeback in the wake of Brady’s return. Ultimately, he likely wants to make sure he is physically able to compete, but it sounds more likely than not to return at some point before the start of the season.