Takeaway is that his arm is not ready yet, and it’s not Gronk and his family or the Pats’ decision anymore. I don’t want to speculate on a rift between the Pats and Gronk, but even if the Pats expected him back sooner it’s hard to argue if a third-party doctor says the arm is not stable yet.
I’m sure there might’ve been some back-and-forth, but ultimately the long-term health of the player is paramount and both the Pats and Gronks know that.
There is no argument to be made that he should’ve been PUPd. He’s been out there practicing and that’s the best thing for him to get back up to speed. Maybe if he got re-injured in practice you could say it was a bad decision, but is there really so much talent on the team right now that they can’t afford his roster spot?
Maybe you could’ve kept Sudfeld but it’s not like he showed much of anything during the regular season, and otherwise nobody is rushing to steal Marquice Cole or Kanorris Davis.