Bucs notes: Gronk says if Edelman signs with Bucs, he'll come back; kicker gets high praise
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers added two new tight ends this weekend in the 2022 NFL draft, but they're still waiting to see if Rob Gronkowski is going to return for another season with the team.
Speaking from his own draft festivities in Las Vegas, Gronkowski was asked about the potential for his old friend and teammate, Julian Edelman, to return from his own retirement and sign with the Bucs.
Gronk responded, making it clear that Edelman "needs to sign with the Bucs," and that if he did, he would indeed return for another season to join him in Tampa Bay (via Sports Illustrated):
"If Julian [Edelman] signs with the Bucs right now, I'm coming back for a whole other year." - @RobGronkowskipic.twitter.com/LImZJ9zK79
- Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 1, 2022
Tom Brady has done a pretty good job of getting the Bucs to sign just about anybody he wants, and it wouldn't be shocking if he was on board with this latest recruiting push from Gronk to add Edelman to the mix.
Collectively, Brady and Gronkowski hold the record for most touchdown connections in playoff history, with 15. That's three more than Joe Montana and Jerry Rice.
The duo, at 105 touchdown connections, is just nine behind Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison for the all-time record.
High praise for punter Camarda
When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers spent one of their fourth-round picks in the 2022 NFL draft on Georgia punter Jake Camarda, you might have been able to hear the collective groan from Bucs fans for miles.
Those fans are no stranger to Bucs general manager Jason Licht using draft picks on specialists, but things haven't gone well in the past in that department, with Roberto Aguayo and Matt Gay both lasting just a year each as Tampa Bay's kicker.
So, why did Licht pull the trigger on a punter this time around?
"Yeah, we liked him a lot," Bucs vice president of player personnel John Spytek told the media this weekend. "He fits a lot of what we are looking for. He has an incredible leg. He's got what I told [Buccaneers staff writer] Scott [Smith] before, 'easy power.' He's got the ability to hang the ball high and drive it 60-plus yards down the field. ... So, when you're looking for a punter that you're going to draft in the fourth [round], you're looking for that kind of ability to flip the field and change the game almost."
An added benefit to Camarda's arrival is the supplanting of veteran Bradley Pinion, who struggled mightily last season in Tampa Bay. He's also set to make nearly $3 million in unguaranteed salary this season, making him a sure bet for release at some point before the season starts.
The Bucs will be able to save valuable salary cap space replacing him with Camarda, money they could potentially use to bring back veteran starters like Gronkowski or Ndamukong Suh.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Gronkowski's come back request, plus high praise for drafted punter
