After an offseason of talk about wrestling, motocross, retirement and "hogwash" trade rumors, Rob Gronkowski will be back in Foxboro when the Patriots report to training camp next week, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
So while there will be no holdout, there is the matter of a restructured contract. There's no new deal yet, but the All-Pro tight end, 29, is signed through 2018 and is set to earn a base salary of $8 million this season. He's the fourth-highest paid tight end in the league.
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In June at his appearance at mandatory mini-camp (after he and Tom Brady stayed away from voluntary workouts), when asked if he was looking for a new deal, Gronkowski answered, "Who wouldn't?"
Gronk's dissatisfaction with the Patriots goes back to last training camp, according to NBC Sports Boston Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran, but he told ex-Patriot Willie McGinest of the NFL Network earlier this month he was "super ready" to return.
The Patriots' first workout is Thursday, July 26 - one day after the veterans' reporting date. According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, Gronkowski was at the Patriots facility on Monday.