NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Saints, Vikings

Buccaneers

Buccaneers TE Rob Gronkowski said his decision to come out of retirement and join Tom Brady in Tampa Bay was not an orchestrated plan between the two and was instead based on a desire to play elsewhere.

“No, no, that actually was never the case,” said Gronkowski, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “As a player, you always want to see what it is like somewhere else. (I) thought of that before, definitely after playing nine years in the NFL and I also thought about it when I came out of retirement.”

Gronkowski reiterated that wanting to play with a new organization was the reason why he signed with the Buccaneers 

“This is an opportunity to go see what it’s like somewhere else, to go see what it’s like in the NFL on another squad. There’s so many players that bounce around on so many different teams. I loved my time in New England, no doubt about it. But it was another opportunity that presented.”

The veteran tight end says he never spoke to Brady about signing with the Buccaneers and it “kind of just happened.” 

”But no, we never really talked about that before. It kind of just happened. (With) my retirement and him hitting free agency, it just kind of lined up like that.”

Saints

Larry Holder of The Athletic thinks Saints RB Alvin Kamara is still worth elite money, despite playing with injuries which clearly set him back during the 2019 season.

Holder says that it is easy to put Kamara into the No. 3 slot on the annual average for running backs, placing his value at $14.9 million.

“He’s the one that knows exactly what he went through, but I know this, he wasn’t 100 percent the entire season,” Saints RB coach Joel Thomas said earlier this offseason. “There was a point to where, whether it was a back, a knee, an ankle, whatever it was, he battled through it the best that he could. I know at times people took it as something else, but the guy is an ultimate competitor, he wants to be out there to help the team and help us win, bottom line. His 75 percent might be someone else’s 100 percent and that’s why he’s out there trying to play and put his best foot forward.”

Vikings

When asked if he wants to start as a rookie, Vikings’ second-round OT Ezra Cleveland said he is prepared for “any role” going forward. 

“I want to get on the field in any role. I’m a team guy. I’m kind of rolling with the punches. I’ll play where they want me,” said Cleveland, via Bob Sansevere of the Pioneer Press.