Sports Illustrated makes prediction for Rob Gronkowski in 2022 and beyond

One more standout year for Rob Gronkowski?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have made it clear throughout the offseason that they're leaving the light on for star tight end, Rob Gronkowski. Over the last few months, Gronkowski has been considering stepping away from the game while also grappling with the thought of going after one more championship.

READ MORE: Brady and Gronk Sighting

The Buccaneers made another move earlier this week that showed the franchise is still keeping Gronkowski in mind. On Tuesday, the team elected to sign veteran defensive tackle Akiem Hicks to a one-year that is worth up to $10 million based on incentives. With the way that Tampa Bay has been utilizing its cap space and adding void years into contracts, this deal is expected to only take up $2.39 million worth of the cap in 2022 unless Hicks plays in nine or more games.

That means that the franchise is still more than capable enough to field Gronkowski for another season. In a recent article from Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr, it's predicted that Gronk will return to the Buccaneers for this fall. Orr goes on to state that he expects the future Hall of Famer to have his best season in five years before riding off into the sunset.

"69. Rob Gronkowski will have his best season since 2017 … and his final one
Gronkowski caught 69 passes for 1,084 yards and eight touchdowns in 2017, the final year he made the Pro Bowl. Now 33, eyeing the other side of football, Gronkowski will return to Tampa Bay after Brady places the Buccaneers’ cap manager in a headlock and squeezes out a few extra million dollars."

READ MORE: How Many Games Will Tampa Bay Win in 2022?

All things considered, Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans would likely be happy if Gronkowski ended the regular season with over 1,000 yards receiving and around eight touchdown catches. That means Gronkowski stayed healthy for the majority of the season and that he continued to put together legendary numbers alongside longtime teammate, Tom Brady.

It appears that Tampa Bay remains confident that Gronkowski will be back in pewter and red before the preseason begins. He was spotted a short distance away from Raymond James Stadium last week with Brady. The team also hasn't made it a massive point to upgrade the tight end room. The Buccaneers did select two tight ends (Cade Otton, Ko Kieft) in the recent NFL Draft but haven't added a veteran this offseason. Eight-year veteran Cam Brate is the most experienced player under contract at this time.

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the offseason.

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