Gronk excited for free agency, hopes to rejoin Bucs: I 'want to dip my toes in'

Rob Gronkowski is looking forward to being a free agent for the first time in his NFL career.

Gronkowski played the 2020 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is hoping to re-sign with the team, but he's eager to see what the open market has to offer.

"I definitely want to be back with the Buccaneers. That's where my eyesight is. That's where I'm leaning towards, big time. But you know, with the free-agency process, you just never know what may happen. There's some other teams interested out there, too," the tight end told Kyle Brandt of The Ringer.

He added that he intends to be "a one-year-deal guy" for the remainder of his career.

"I've also never been a part of the free-agency process, so I actually want to dip my toes in, just to see what's out there, because ... I want to be a free agent every year," he said.

"So, if I dip my toes in this year and see what's out there, see how it works, and if I do go back to the Bucs - which you know, that's my (mindset) - I'll know how free agency works. I'll know how teams come after you, and then I'll have that much more of an advantage every single year because I'll be experienced in the free-agency game."

Gronkowski, 31, came out of retirement to join Tom Brady in Tampa last season, and the duo helped deliver a Super Bowl championship. Gronkowski played for a base salary of $9 million and finished the 2020 campaign with a respectable 45 receptions for 623 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Buccaneers have been busy working to retain their star players this offseason, re-signing Lavonte David and Shaquil Barrett to long-term contracts and franchise tagging Chris Godwin.