NFL Rumor Roundup: Rob Gronkowski's future; Cooper Kupp contract update; Tom Brady quashes Bill Belichick feud rumors - 6 June 2022
Welcome to today's NFL Rumor Roundup, where we will bring you the latest news and updates surrounding the biggest rumors from the NFL world. In today's edition, we will look at the future of Rob Gronkowski, an update on Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp, as well as Tom Brady quashing feud rumors with his former head coach Bill Belichick.
Let's take a closer look at those situations, starting in Tampa Bay and the future of tight end Rob Gronkowski.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are optimistic Gronkowski will re-sign with the team
The veteran tight end's future is currently unclear but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hopeful they will retain the services of Rob Gronkowski in 2022. The tight end retired in 2019 for a season before signing with the Buccaneers, going on to help them win Super Bowl LV in his first season with the team.
The franchise is "optimistic" Gronkowski will re-sign before training camp in late July. The team is currently without a veteran tight end after O.J. Howard left for the Buffalo Bills, so Gronkowski could fill that gap. There is still plenty of cap space to facilitate this, with around $12 million still available.
Officially, Rob Gronkowski is undecided about this NFL future. Unofficially, the Bucs are optimistic he will re-sign with the team sometime before it reports to training camp in late July. #Bucs #GoBucs #Gronk
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His on-field rapport with quarterback Tom Brady goes without saying, having played together in New England and Tampa Bay for 11 years. He would be another valuable offensive weapon for the Buccaneers, adding to the likes of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Russell Gage, and Leonard Fournette.
Cooper Kupp wants a new contract that "makes sense for everyone"
After winning the NFL's triple crown in 2021, consisting of the most receptions, the most receiving yards, and the most receiving touchdowns, Cooper Kupp is in a better place than any other wide receiver to get a new contract. On top of that, he won Super Bowl LVI, winning the MVP as well as the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year award.
Speaking about his contract situation, Kupp said:
"I try to help where I can. I don’t want to be in the dark on this thing. I also love this organization. I want to be here for a very long time, and to be doing things with these guys — not just the guys on the field, I want to be a part of this organization (in its) growth and the places I think this organization is going."
He continued:
"And so I want this to be something that makes sense for everyone. I want them to feel good about it, and I think the best way to do that is for me to at least be involved in some capacity. It’s never going to be at the cost of anything on the football field, (but) the more communication, the better, and (we’ll) just be able to find a place (where) we can all feel good."
Kupp has also made it clear that he would like the Rams to re-sign Odell Beckham Jr. With Allen Robinson joining the franchise in free agency from the Chicago Bears, the Rams' receiving corps is already one of the league's best units. It would likely become the NFL's most feared offense should OBJ come back into the fold.
Cooper Kupp wants OBJ back with the Rams. 🐏 👏 https://t.co/1Zfyr2a8gl
NFL superstar Tom Brady hails Bill Belichick as "the most amazing coach"
The quarterback and head coach duo of Brady and Belichick was once the best tandem in the NFL. They won six Super Bowl titles together before Brady left in 2020 to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, at which point rumors began circling about their relationship.
Brady has quashed rumors of their relationship turning sour in a recent interview, paying the utmost respect to his former head coach. During a roundtable with TNT’s Ernie Johnson, Brady said:
"I was thinking about the opportunity to travel around and see these guys on different Friday afternoons and watching them practice and saying, ‘Hey, here’s a couple of things that worked for me.’"
He continued:
"Different coaches. I was around the most amazing coach, in Coach Belichick, the most amazing coaches over a period of time. I played with Hall of Famers, Randy Moss to Ty Law to Richard Seymour. I feel like I have a lot of knowledge.
Brady made a u-turn in the off-season, ending a 40-day retirement period to return to the NFL in 2022. He will turn 45 years old before the NFL season begins in September, but despite his age, he remains one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
This concludes the latest NFL Rumor Roundup with all the latest and most important rumors and stories from around the NFL.