Could the Patriots trade Rob Gronkowski?

The future of Rob Gronkowski is seemingly still up in the air.

While the 28-year-old is reportedly “pretty certain” he’ll return to football, is it possible he could be playing for another team? Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer reported Tuesday a couple of teams at the league meetings confirmed their intentions to inquire about a potential trade for the All-Pro tight end.

“My expectation is the Patriots will be getting trade calls about Rob Gronkowski,” Breer wrote.

Boston Sports Journal‘s Greg Bedard corroborated Breer’s report, adding that the more time Gronkowski takes to make a final decision about his plans for next season, the more likely he will be included in a deal.

Per Bedard: “A Bill Belichick-friendly source agreed with my thinking that once a player makes Belichick start to contemplate life without him, Belichick starts to warm to being without that player. ‘He imagines you gone,’ he said. The longer Gronkowski goes without saying he’s all in, the chances of him being traded increases, the source said.”

Where could Gronkowski be off to, if he were to be traded? Bedard mentioned the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams as two ideal potential landing spots. And what would New England receive in return, if a deal were to be done? The Patriots could possibly nab a late first-round pick, according to Bedard, but the combination a high second-rounder and a third-rounder is more probable.

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