In the latest bad news involving a New England Patriots tight end, Rob Gronkowski appears as though he won't be ready to play for the Pats in their season opener Sept. 8 on the road against the Buffalo Bills.
The Patriots, who already lost tight end Aaron Hernandez due to his alleged connection to the murder of Boston semi-professional football player Odin Lloyd, will now most likely be without Gronkowski to start this year's campaign.
According to a source gathered by ESPN, it's "not realistic" to expect Gronkowski to be anything but a Week 1 scratch for New England, as he makes his way back from offseason back surgery.
The Patriots are reportedly mulling a decision over whether or not to place Gronkowski on the physically unable to perform list, which would insure that he'd miss at least the opening six games of the season. A team source told ESPN that Gronkowski is slated for a late-September comeback at the earliest. Gronkowski has recovered well from surgery, but reportedly needs to add strength.
It's uncertain whether or not Gronkowski, 24, will end up on the PUP list or not to start the season.
The Patriots, who had to cut Hernandez due to his legal trouble and are also without departed wide receiver Wes Welker who signed with the Denver Broncos, are hopeful that Gronkowski will make a speedy recover as they're lacking significant pass catchers.
Gronkowski, Hernandez and Welker combined for 22 touchdowns last season, with Gronkowski accounting for half of them.
Gronkowski had 55 receptions in 11 games for 790 yards and 11 touchdowns as New England went 12-4-0 and won the AFC East division for the fourth-straight season before defeating the Houston Texans in the divisional playoffs and losing to the eventual-Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Conference Championship.
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