FOXBOROUGH Zack Smith Jersey , Mass. (AP) — For the second straight year, the Patriots have tried to show Rob Gronkowski how much he’s valued.
The All-Pro tight end says he’s feeling the love and is looking forward to showing them his appreciation on the field.
Last week the Patriots added $4.3 million in incentives to Gronkowski’s contract over the next two seasons. The deal includes $1 million in per game bonuses and $3.3 million in incentives for catches, playing time and touchdowns.
It is the second consecutive season the team has added sweeteners to the 29-year-old’s contract. Last season the incentives New England gave him pushed his compensation to more than $10 million.
With this latest restructured deal he has the potential to make $12.3 million this season and $13.3 million next year. It could again place him among the league’s highest-paid tight ends as he prepares to open his ninth NFL season Sunday against Houston.
“It’s definitely a relief to have that all out of the way,” Gronkowski said Tuesday. “That was last week. That’s in the past, which is good. I’m just gonna put my main focus on the Houston Texans.”
This new pact comes after Gronk made a silent statement by skipping the voluntary portion of offseason workouts.
When he returned for the mandatory minicamp he wasn’t bashful in saying he’d like to see his contract redone again on the heels of other NFL players getting offseason raises.
Gronk insisted that there was never any acrimony between himself and the Patriots this summer over his contract.
“It didn’t weigh on me at all,” he said. “I mean, everything is always ‘in the works.’ Nothing is just gonna happen in a day when it’s something like that. It’s in the past. … It’s go-time now.”
Gronkowski put himself in position to renegotiate after leading the team in receptions (69), receiving yards (1,084) and receiving touchdowns (eight) last season.
Though he never contemplated holding out, Gronkowski said he isn’t envious of some of the heftier contracts that some of his NFL peers have gotten recently.
“I’m super-satisfied with my situation,” he said. “If I wasn’t, then I would try to pull a move like they (did). It just works out. You get rewarded for holding out. But I’m not frustrated at all. … I’m ready to play.”
He expected to again be one of 41-year-old quarterback Tom Brady’s top targets in the passing game. His importance to the offense will only be amplified with receiver Julian Edelman suspended for the first four games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancers.
Brady is also adjusting to some new receivers, following the trade of Brandin Cooks to the Los Angeles Rams and Danny Amendola signing a free agent deal with Miami.
With Edelman out Customized San Francisco 49ers Jerseys , Chris Hogan — entering his third season in New England — is the most-tenured receiver Brady will have at the start of the season.
Special teams captain Matt Slater is listed as a receiver. But he has caught just one pass in 10 seasons with the Patriots.
Still, Gronk said he doesn’t feel any extra pressure to produce more than he normally does.
“There’s always pressure around this building, no matter what the situation is,” he said. “When you lose a guy, or for example when they lose me out there on the field, the goal is just to keep on maintaining what you’re doing.
“No matter who is in there, who’s not, I just gotta keep focusing on my job and keep helping the team the best way I can.”
NOTES: Jacksonville cornerback Jalen Ramsey made headlines last week when he told “ESPN The Magazine” that “I don’t think Gronk is as great as people think he is.” Asked if he had any reaction, Gronkowski said he’d defer responding for now. “We got the Houston Texans this week,” he said. “That will just be another time and place to talk about (that). But, as of right now, I’m just focused on the Texans.” New England visits Jacksonville on Sept. 16.
DeSean Jackson is eager to rebound from one of the least productive seasons of his career and help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers end a long playoff drought.
The Bucs struggled a year ago to incorporate the speedy receiver into an offense expected to be more potent after the three-time Pro Bowl selection was signed to a $33.5 million contract in free agency.
He averaged a career-worst 13.4 yards per reception and scored just three touchdowns in his first year with Tampa Bay, which lost 10 of 13 following a 2-1 start to miss the playoffs for the 10th straight season.
The Cleveland Browns, who haven't earned a playoff berth since 2002, are the only team with a longer playoff drought.
"Any time I get an opportunity to make good plays and spark this offense with explosive plays ... or scoring touchdowns 鈥?whatever it is, I'm here to do (it)," Jackson said.
"Obviously last year was a disappointing year for myself and the team," the receiver added. "I just want to be able to ... give them high energy, good plays, and explosive plays."
Jackson, who spent extra time in the offseason with Jameis Winston in hopes of improving chemistry between him and the quarterback on deep throws, enters his 11th season with 548 receptions for 9,487 yards and 49 TDs.
He's also scored three touchdowns rushing and four more on punt returns.
Nevertheless, the Bucs couldn't get the ball to him consistently in 2017.
While Winston's favorite target, Mike Evans, continued to prosper with his fourth consecutive season with 1,000 yards receiving, Jackson finished with 50 catches for 668 yards 鈥?both lows for him in a year when he's played at least 12 games.
And, for the first time since his rookie year with the Eagles in 2008, Jackson didn't have a reception of at least 60 yards.
While he's not making any bold predictions, the receiver is confident the offense will be better this fall.
"We have a lot of weapons and a lot of options for the quarterback to drop back and throw the ball to. I'm excited about that," said Jackson, who has three receptions for 91 yards through two preseason games.
The veteran receiver thinks Tampa Bay has one of the best groups of targets in the league with himself, Evans, Chris Godwin Tyler Bozak Jersey , Adam Humphries and tight ends Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard.
He also likes offseason moves that included bolstering the offensive and defensive lines, as well as drafting running back Ronald Jones.
"We have a lot more competitive players now. A lot of new additions coming from winning mentalities. They're able to push the drive and push other guys on this team to the highest of their potential," Jackson said.
"Obviously last year was a frustrating year for everyone that's a part of the Buccaneers. But there's one common goal: to go out there, put the work in, and hopefully the results show on Sundays."
Coach Dirk Koetter said Jackson is having an outstanding training camp.
"I think DeSean has really asserted himself not only as a veteran, but as a leader," the coach said.
"DeSean has instant street cred because of his career. ... It's a big difference if you see a guy that you respect out there doing what he's supposed to do versus a guy that's out there moping around," Koetter added. "Hats off to him, he's doing a good job."
Toonstruck 2 - The Fan Project
Thema drucken
10.10.2018 05:29
Antworten
