Earlier on Sunday, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the Patriots and Lions were deep into trade discussions last offseason that peaked during the week of the draft, when the teams nearly completed a blockbuster trade involving Gronkowski.
It wasn't that Gronkowski didn't want to play in Detroit; he didn't want to play anywhere other than New England, sources told Schefter. The Patriots had been discussing a trade with a few teams, and Gronkowski wouldn't have reported to any of them, according to sources.
It was at that point Gronkowski and Patriots officials met, with the two sides discussing a plan for the Pro Bowl tight end to continue playing in New England. The Patriots then called off any proposed trade with the Lions, leaving Detroit disappointed.
The story had a happy ending for Gronkowski and the Patriots, who agreed to a reworked contract in the summer that added $4.3 million in incentives for the 2018 season. He can earn $1 million in per-game roster bonuses, plus a maximum of $3.3 million by hitting three of the following four incentives: 70 or more catches, 1,085 receiving yards, 80 percent playing time or nine or more touchdown catches.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24768502/new-england-patriots-nearly-traded-rob-gronkowski-detroit-lions-star-tight-end-intervened
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