Rob Gronkowski will 'eventually' return to Buccaneers for 2022 NFL season

As things stand on the opening day of April, four-time Super Bowl champion tight end Rob Gronkowski is still a free agent and could sign with any team, enter retirement, or leave outsiders guessing about his plans for the 2022 NFL season through the spring and summer months. 

Gronkowski teased in mid-March he would ultimately follow in the footsteps of quarterback and "best friend" Tom Brady and return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for at least one more season, but agent Drew Rosenhaus raised eyes when he told reporters last week the 32-year-old was "honestly undecided" about his future. 

Per Nick Kosko of 247Sports, CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora appeared on CBS Sports HQ on Friday and made it clear he believes we haven't seen the last "Gronk spike" on an NFL Sunday. 

"I don't see him anywhere else, but Tampa if he plays (and he’s) given some indications that he does expect to play," La Canfora said of Gronkowski. "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 grace and get in the inner sanctum of the circle of trust. He's already embedded there. 

"The band is essentially back. I believe Rob Gronkowski, at his own pace, will be back as well. They can use another tight end to even further fortify that offense. He's a perfect fit. I think eventually, that comes to pass." 

Some may remember it was La Canfora who first reported on Jan. 28 that Brady was "preparing to retire from the game," which proved to be accurate for about six weeks. 

As for Gronkowski, he took to Twitter Friday to honor Bruce Arians, who surprised the football community earlier this week when he stepped down as Buccaneers head coach to accept a role in the team's front office: