FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski said in June that he hoped to land an upgraded contract, but he relayed Thursday that he never considered holding out from training camp to get it.
Rob Gronkowski is a five-time Pro Bowler including last season when he had 69 receptions for 1,084 yards and 8 touchdowns. Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports
“No, it hasn’t even came close to considering that. Not even one bit,” he said after the team’s first practice of camp. “What I can do, though, is keep preparing, keep showing up every day, keep doing what I’ve got to do to get better.”
Gronkowski has two years remaining on his contract and is scheduled to earn a base salary of $8 million in 2018. Last year, the team sweetened the 2017 portion of his contract with incentives, and Gronkowski previously said he was hoping for something similar this year.
But he even backed off that following Thursday’s practice.
“I’m just focused on getting better and it’s just internal with stuff like that,” he said.
Asked if he is happy in New England, Gronkowski said, “Yeah.”
New York Jets cornerback Rashard Robinson, who was arrested last December and charged with marijuana possession, was suspended four games by the NFL for violating its substance-abuse policy, the team announced Wednesday.
Robinson, hardly a lock to make the 53-man roster, is eligible to return Oct. 1, the day after the Jets play the Jacksonville Jaguars in their fourth game. He’s allowed to practice and play in preseason games.
The Jets acquired Robinson last year from the San Francisco 49ers at the trading deadline, dealing a 2018 fifth-round pick. He played in only six games for the Jets, a total of 20 defensive snaps. He was inactive for the final two games.
Rashard Robinson recorded just two tackles in six games with the Jets last season. Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire
In December, Robinson was arrested in New Jersey after police allegedly discovered marijuana-laced candy in his car. The case still is pending.
Robinson, 23, has a history of off-the-field issues, dating to his college days at LSU. In 2015, he was arrested and thrown out of school after breaking into a teammate’s apartment.
He sat out the 2015 season, but wound up becoming a fourth-round pick of the 49ers in 2016. He played 22 games, including 13 starts, but he fell out of favor with their new regime.
Wide receiver ArDarius Stewart is facing a two-game suspension for violating the policy on performance enhancing drugs. The league has yet to announce it; it was reported last week by the NFL Network.
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones plans to miss the start of training camp this week because he wants his contract to be reworked, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.
Here are some answers to lingering questions regarding Jones’ status with the team:
What is Jones’ big issue with his contract?
One could say Jones is arguably the best receiver in the league. Although he hasn’t stated so publicly, no doubt Jones is upset about not being at the top of the list of highest-paid receivers in terms of average per year and guaranteed money. Jones signed a five-year, $71.25 million extension in August 2015 that included $47 million guaranteed. The $14.25 million average of his contract sits below eight other receivers, topped by Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown ($17 million per year). And the $47 million guaranteed is equal to what Jarvis Landry got from Cleveland and below Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans ($55.008 million) and Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins ($49 million). Brandin Cooks of the Los Angeles Rams just received a five-year, $80 million extension, which Jones might take as a slap in the face as he seeks to have his contract reworked with three years left. Jones is to make $10.5 million this season, fourth most on his own team for 2018.
The Falcons would argue Jones was already paid handsomely in the front-loaded deal and that addressing a contract with three years remaining would establish a bad precedent. The team is willing to address Jones’ contract going into the 2019 season, but wants to prioritize extensions for left tackle Jake Matthews, nose tackle Grady Jarrett and free safety Ricardo Allen.
Is there anything that can be done in the short term to get Jones on the field?
It’s unclear how long Jones will hold out and whether that will include regular-season games. However, the Falcons could add incentives to modify Jones’ deal. There is no limit to the number of incentives the Falcons could tie to Jones’ deal, but adding not-likely-to-be-earned incentives is the typical goal in this type of situation.
How much could a holdout cost Jones?
Jones is subject to a $40,000 fine for each day of training camp missed. He already was subject to an $84,435 fine for missing the team’s three-day mandatory minicamp this offseason. For each preseason game missed, Jones would be out the equivalent of one week’s regular-season salary ($617,647).
Just how valuable is Jones?
The five-time Pro Bowler has the highest yards-per-game average of all time (minimum 500 catches) at 95.3 yards per game, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Jones would enter 2018 looking for his fifth consecutive season with 80-plus catches and 1,400-plus receiving yards, which would set a NFL record. Jones’ 2,853 receiving yards are the most in the NFL over the past two seasons. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, there have been only four players to have 2,500 receiving yards over a two-year span with fewer than 10 total touchdowns. But Jones’ nine touchdowns over the past two seasons do not reflect the defensive attention he draws and one-on-one opportunities he opens up for his fellow receivers. Still, he needs to score more, and the Falcons have to look for him more in scoring situations.
Julio Jones signed a five-year, $71 million contract in 2015 that included a $12 million signing bonus and $47 million guaranteed. Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
What does the Falcons’ depth chart at wide receiver look like without Jones?
How might the locker room be affected by a possible extended Jones holdout?
The reaction could be mixed. Sure, the Falcons as a whole seem to have tremendous respect for Jones. And everyone knows how valuable he is to the team’s overall success. But that doesn’t mean his absence will go over well with everyone, with the team focused on a Super Bowl return. Jones recently worked out with Ryan and a host of other offensive players in California, so the Falcons obviously aren’t turning their backs on him. And Quinn will continue to emphasize the “brotherhood” theme with or without Jones. Ryan’s leadership will be key through it all.
