Willie McGinest. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — NFL free agency officially starts today, and big-name players are moving all over, but the Patriots are still waiting to learn if Rob Gronkowski intends to play in 2019.
The oft-injured tight end indicated he'd have a decision by now, but his agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN Monday Gronkowski he's healthy—just still undecided.
Former Pats favorite Willie McGinest offered his theory on Gronkowski's future on NFL Network during a chat with Andrew Siciliano.
"This is just my own assessment," McGinest said. "Later on, deep in the season, he could possibly come back and play football."
"I just want to be clear what you're saying—you're saying that you don't expect Rob Gronkowski to go to camp?" Siciliano asked.
"No, I don't think he's gonna play," McGinest said. "I think he's gonna start off the season by being retired, and I think he's gonna get the itch, I think he's gonna be in great shape, and he's probably gonna have that feeling like, hey, I wanna come back."
McGinest said this has nothing to do with Gronkowski skipping training camp.
"He doesn't mind work at all," McGinest said. "I just think at this point, I don't think he's gonna make a decision in training camp or in the summertime. I think he's gonna let his body heal up. I think, mentally, he's not football right now."
Gronkowski will turn 30 in May and has one year left on his contract, with a $9 million base salary.
WBZ NewsRadio's Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) reports