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Gronkowski has interesting take on Patriots, Lamar Jackson rumors originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Lamar Jackson is still available with a couple weeks to go before the 2023 NFL Draft.

The 26-year-old quarterback still hasn't been able to work out a new contract with the Baltimore Ravens, who placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on him in March. A rival team also hasn't signed him to an offer sheet or made a trade to acquire the former league MVP.

The New England Patriots have been speculated as a potential destination for Jackson. However, multiple reports over the last few weeks indicate the Patriots aren't interested in making that kind of move.

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One ex-Patriots star who also doesn't see Jackson-to-Foxboro happening is future Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski.

“I think he would be a good fit, in a way. But at the same time, I don’t think he would be a good fit. It kind of goes both ways,” Gronkowski told Kay Adams earlier this week on the “Up & Adams” show.

“I feel like Coach Belichick always kind of dreamed of a quarterback -- not just a pocket passer, but a Lamar Jackson-type. The one that can be able to run the ball as well. I just feel like he likes those types of quarterbacks from all the times he talked about them in meetings and stuff when we were going against them.

“So, that’s why it would be a good fit. But it wouldn’t be a good fit at the same time because he has to pay him $ 50-plus million and he’s not paying $ 50-plus million for a quarterback. So, therefore it’s not a good fit off the bat because of that reason. So, I don’t think that’s going to go down at all.”

It is hard to envision the Patriots paying $ 50 million or more per season for one player, even if that player is as talented as Jackson. That's just not how the Patriots have operated during the Bill Belichick era. It also doesn't mean they'll never pay that much for a quarterback. The way that salaries for the elite quarterbacks are trending, $ 50 million per season might eventually become the norm.

But for this specific Patriots roster in 2023, it would be hard to justify paying $ 50 million for Jackson when so many other positions need to be bolstered from a depth and talent perspective. Even if the Patriots acquired Jackson, he wouldn't have a legit No. 1 wide receiver or a top-tier left tackle unless New England made more moves to acquire those players. And how would the Patriots get those weapons for Jackson when they likely would have to surrender a couple premium draft picks to acquire him?

Jackson coming to Foxboro is fun for Patriots fans to think about, but based on all the reporting, it just doesn't seem like a realistic scenario.

The Orioles took the field for the first time at Camden Yards this season and gave the sellout crowd quite the show. Baltimore climbed back after relinquishing an early four-run lead and secured a 7-6 victory over the Yankees before 45,017 fans.

Adley Rutschman delivered a clutch at bat to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth, and Ramón Urías provided Baltimore the lead for good with an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh. Félix Bautista worked around Aaron Judge with two outs in the ninth and earned the save by retiring Anthony Rizzo for the final out of the game.

The Orioles jumped out to an early lead with a pair of runs in the second. Gunnar Henderson got things started with a one-out single and moved up a base when Urías worked a walk.

Adam Frazier—Baltimore’s most significant free agent signing on the offensive side of the ball—drove in the first run of the year at Camden Yards. Frazier punched a single into right field that plated Henderson and advanced Urías to third.

Austin Hays followed with a grounder to second base. Gleyber Torres sped up in an effort to turn two but booted the ball in the process. Urías came around to score while both Frazier and Hays reached base safely. Jorge Mateo struck out swinging and Cedric Mullins bounced out to end the inning, but the Birds did not wait long to strike again.

Rutschman walked to start the third and quickly advanced on a double by Anthony Santander. Ryan Mountcastle drove a deep fly ball to center field that scored Rutschman without a throw. Santander remained at second after the sacrifice, but Henderson drove him in with a double to left-center field. The O’s led 4-0 after three innings of play.

Baltimore starter Dean Kremer walked a batter in each of the first two innings but managed to scatter base runners through the first three frames. Kremer produced a shutdown inning in the third after the Orioles took the lead, but faltered after the O’s secured the four run advantage.

Kremer picked up two quick outs in the fourth before allowing a single to Oswaldo Cabrera. The Orioles’ number two starter issued his third walk of the game to Jose Trevino but made his greatest mistake against a familiar face.

Franchy Cordero opted out when the Orioles declined to include him on the Opening Day roster and did not wait long to exact his revenge. Kremer missed his target with a 1-1 cutter and Cordero launched it into the seats. Suddenly, the Orioles led by only one.

Kremer struck out Aaron Judge for the second time during a clean fifth inning. He left the game still in line for a victory after allowing a leadoff single to Giancarlo Stanton in the sixth. Unfortunately, Logan Gillaspie failed to hold the lead.

Gillaspie walked Torres before coughing up a two-run double to Cabrera. Gillaspie managed to record one out before Brandon Hyde turned to Danny Coulombe. Coulombe minimized the damage by generating a pop out from pinch-hitter Isiah Kiner-Falefa and striking out Anthony Volpe to end the inning. Still, the Yankees led 5-4.

Mateo sparked the Birds with a one out single in the sixth. He quickly stole second and advanced to third on a groundout by Cedric Mullins. Rutschman delivered a vintage at bat with the tying run 90-feet from home plate.

Yankee reliever Ron Marinaccio exclusively pitched Rutschman on the outside portion of the plate. Rutschman, batting from the left side, worked the count full before punching a ball into left field. The knock evened the score at five and brought the raucous crowd to their feet.

Cionel Pérez need only five pitches to retire the top three Yankee batters in the seventh, and Baltimore’s offense carried the momentum in the bottom half of the inning. Ryan Mountcastle worked a leadoff walk, stole second, and then Urías delivered the big blow with a double to center field.

Urías scored twice, worked a walk and finished 2-for-3 with the games most significant RBI. He revealed in the postgame interview on MASN that today’s game marked the first time his parents saw him play in the Major Leagues. He provided the Orioles a crucial insurance run by scoring on a wild pitch later in the seventh.

Pérez returned to the mound but allowed a run on three consecutive hits to start the eighth. Bryan Baker entered with the tying and go-ahead runs already on base, but the 28-year-old rose to the occasion.

Baker generated a sharp groundball to the man of the hour, and Urías turned a nifty double play to record two quick outs. Baker blew away Kiner-Falefa for the third out and let out a tremendous scream that the Baltimore crowd matched with joy.

Judge advanced to third after a stolen base and a wild pitch in the ninth inning, but Bautista forced Rizzo into a shallow pop out to end the threat. The Orioles moved to 4-3 on the season and will face the Yankees again tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. with Cole Irvin on the mound.

Who was the most Birdland player for the Orioles on April 7?

BALTIMORE — After an offseason of hype and a day’s delay because of weather, the young Baltimore Orioles were more than ready for their home opener Friday afternoon.

They walked into a home clubhouse refreshed with new graphics on the walls and lockers in new places, adjusting for new seniority. They expected a sellout, something not many Orioles teams could count on in recent years. Long-awaited beacons of hope such as catcher Adley Rutschman, third baseman Gunnar Henderson and right-hander Grayson Rodriguez were finally on the roster for a home opener, finally going to be introduced as bona fide big leaguers. They were no longer just the future. Everything seemed possible.

But as reporters bounced from player to player, these youthful Orioles seemed to be harboring a shared anxiety, one voiced by their manager in the days leading up to this promising team’s debut at Camden Yards.

“Watch your step on that carpet,” Orioles outfielder Austin Hays said.

The orange carpet is a home opener tradition in Baltimore. It is rolled out from center field, outlining a path to the infield, a lengthy trot that each Orioles player must make as his name is announced. Cleats can get caught in that carpet. The footing isn’t trustworthy. More than one player has tripped over the years, as players reminded each other Friday in the clubhouse.

“I haven’t given any advice, but [the carpet] is long,” said first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, who counts as a veteran on this team at 26 and entering his fourth season. “It’s a long jog on the orange carpet. I’m going to try not to trip as well.”

Such is life for these Orioles, who enter this season with more expectations than at any point in the past half decade and now must ensure gravity does not get the better of them. They exceeded predictions last season with a winning record and a fourth-place finish in the American League East. Rutschman made his memorable debut. Fans returned. Hype started to build for 2023 as a baseball city began to buzz again.

“I was driving to the field this morning at 8:30 a.m. There were Baltimore fans everywhere, jerseys everywhere,” Hays said. “… To just see the streets of Baltimore be covered in Orioles jerseys again is really nice.”

And though a fourth-place finish in the AL East seems very much a possibility again given the strength of the division and the Orioles’ relative inexperience, expectations have only grown.

On Friday afternoon, a sellout crowd of 45,017 roared as Rodriguez and Henderson and other unproven prospects made their way down that carpet. Fans cheered for what could be rather than for what many of these players had yet accomplished. The Orioles had long since decided this had to be the season they would announce themselves as contenders. The key now is not to stumble.

“I’m not changing. I’m handling everything the same way every single day. It’s still a long way to go, and there’s a lot of things that can happen in the next six months,” Hyde said. “We are super processed-based. It’s a day-to-day thing. I’m never going to change that. We’re more talented, but we also play in a really, really tough division.”

The Orioles started the season with a 3-3 trip, one that included a gritty emergency start from much-heralded pitching prospect Rodriguez and a history-making Opening Day from Rutschman that included five hits. But as they returned home to face the New York Yankees, a team that doesn’t celebrate hope in April and measures success exclusively in October, the reality is the Orioles’ promise is nothing more than that.

With these Orioles, emotion has often preceded major league achievement. Terrin Vavra, Kyle Stowers, Rutschman, Henderson, Rodriguez and others who probably will debut this season came up through the system together. Just getting here is meaningful in itself.

“We’ll be able to talk about this experience for our whole lives. Because outside of baseball, we’re all best friends off the field,” Henderson said.

Henderson, a 21-year-old who debuted last August, ensured he would have some positive memories with a third-inning double that gave the Orioles a 4-0 lead and gave him two hits in two at-bats in his first home opener.

But Yankees outfielder Franchy Cordero, who had an impressive spring for the Orioles before they ran out of room for him on their roster, homered to cut the lead to one. Reliever Logan Gillaspie then gave up the lead in the sixth. The Yankees, you could say, were threatening to pull the rug out from under the Orioles.

Rutschman, the keystone of Baltimore’s hopes, picked them back up. He worked a 3-2 count, fouled off a few pitches and delivered a two-out, game-tying single in the bottom of that inning. They took the lead back in the seventh when Ramon Urías doubled home Mountcastle. They held it because Urías made a diving stop to start a double play as the Yankees rallied in the eighth and because Brian Baker struck out Isiah Kiner-Falefa to end the threat.

If the Orioles had slunk quietly into a Friday afternoon loss, it wouldn’t have meant anything definitive. That they came back, then held on for a 7-6 win, passing every test one day could throw at them, really just meant the Orioles moved to 4-3 instead of 3-4 with 155 games to play. That Rutschman ended up skipping back to the dugout after that eighth inning, pumping his fist after the ninth, just meant this team was everything Orioles fans hoped it would be, for one afternoon at least.

“Just walking around last night and yesterday, there’s a lot more people that come up to you in a positive way about the club,” Hyde said. “You want your fan base to feel good about your team.”

It had been a while since a home opener in Baltimore brought those good feelings, since successfully surviving that long jog from center field was the most impressive achievement fans could expect from the home team here. The carpet has been rolled out for the 2023 Baltimore Orioles. So far, it has not tripped them up.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Ravens declined to answer any questions about Lamar Jackson at Wednesday's pre-draft news conference, but general manager Eric DeCosta did have something interesting to say about Baltimore's quarterback position.

DeCosta acknowledged the possibility of the Ravens selecting a quarterback in the first round.

"It depends on the board, it really does," DeCosta said. "I mean, I'd have to say yes because we have quarterbacks in our top 31. So just based on that alone, simple math, I would have to say yes."

The Ravens might need to look for a new quarterback for the future considering the uncertain situation with Jackson, who received the nonexclusive franchise tag this offseason. Baltimore has two other quarterbacks on its roster: restricted free agent Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown, who went undrafted a year ago.

The problem for the Ravens is they have the No. 22 overall pick, and the team doesn't have the draft capital -- a total of five selections -- to move up in the first round. The Ravens described this quarterback class as strong at the top.

Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and Alabama's Bryce Young are projected to go in the top two picks, and Florida's Anthony Richardson and Kentucky's Will Levis are widely projected to be taken in the top 15. Tennessee's Hendon Hooker could be available toward the bottom of the first round.

"I would say there's probably more than four guys that can be significant quarterbacks in this league in this draft class," DeCosta said.

It's more likely that Baltimore will take a wide receiver or cornerback with its top pick. The Ravens' wide receivers ranked last in receiving yards last season, and the team has a void at cornerback with Marcus Peters being a free agent.

But the Ravens have been forward-thinking when it comes to quarterback. In 2018, Baltimore moved back into the first round to take Jackson when Joe Flacco was on its roster.

Asked if the Ravens have spent more time looking at quarterbacks this year, DeCosta said, "I wouldn't say we've necessarily done that."

Ravens officials answered six questions about this year's quarterback draft class, but they shut down any talk about Jackson. In fact, no team official mentioned Jackson by name on Wednesday.

This represented a dramatically different tone by the Ravens, who have repeatedly praised Jackson and expressed optimism about retaining him over the 25 months of negotiations.

The first question of the news conference was whether the Ravens had spoken to Jackson since his tweet last week, when he announced he had requested a trade and then said goodbye to Ravens fans.

"I understand the need to ask those kind of questions," DeCosta said. "I think just out of respect for the process, this is a draft luncheon and we're going to try to keep as much of this discussion as we can to the draft, to the coming weeks, building the best football team we can build. So, I understand those questions. I think we've spoken about this situation probably five different times this spring in various different press conferences and such. So, we're going to try to just kind of defer to those questions and move forward to the draft."

On the third question of the day involving Jackson, a Ravens spokesperson cut off the reporter to reiterate that the news conference was about the draft and not about the Jackson situation. The reporter, though, continued his question about whether the Ravens are evaluating quarterbacks differently this year.

"I don't think we really are," DeCosta said. "We go into every draft trying to take any kind of bias out, any kind of need-based situation out of the draft equation. We really do try to build a board that's really best player available."

There were no more questions about Jackson, but the uncertainty surrounding his future in Baltimore remains.

Pitcher Cole Irvin was the first, followed by infielder Terrin Vavra. Players jogging down the orange carpet, a Baltimore tradition for the home opener. No one suffering the embarrassment of tripping over it.

The Orioles hoped to have the same solid footing in their game against the Yankees.

The crowd erupted for Grayson Rodriguez, and later for closer Félix Bautista. Kyle Bradish was cleared to participate after playing catch this morning to test out his bruised right foot – a session aimed more at gauging his progress and when he might be ready to get back on a mound.

Tyler Wells caught the ceremonial first pitch from Governor Wes Moore, who bounced the throw and raised his arms in mock frustration. Moore’s son, James, wore an Adley Rutschman jersey while throwing to Rodriguez. Daughter Mia threw to Jorge Mateo.

The 2023 season already started a week ago in Boston, but it felt more real today.

Pretty intense, too.

Ramón Urías’ second double broke a tie in the seventh inning, when the Orioles scored twice to reclaim the lead, and the bullpen got critical outs when needed in a 7-6 victory before an announced sellout crowd of 45,017.

The Orioles improved to 46-24 in home openers, including 22-10 at Camden Yards. They’re 4-3 with six more games waiting for them before the next road trip.

Bautista notched his third save, striking out two along the way as the crowd stood and roared. He walked Aaron Judge on four pitches with two outs and stranded him at third base by retiring Anthony Rizzo on a fly ball.

"It was a great win, especially being in front of that crowd and getting that big win is super special for us," Urías said.

"I don't remember it being like that last year. There were a couple games when there was big energy, but nothing like today."

"The crowd the entire game, that was fun," said manager Brandon Hyde. "People showed up. Really a great crowd, great energy in the ballpark. Players fed off it. You could definitely feel the excitement. Sometimes you play the Yankees here and the past few years it's been quite a few Yankees fans. Tonight it was a definite Baltimore crowd all the way through, and it was awesome to be a part of."

Urías doesn't have a set position. He started at third base today, where he won a Gold Glove last year. He will move up and down the order when he's in it. And he seems destined to keep contributing to it.

"I try to put my name on the lineup as much as I can," he said. "Just like, playing hard, playing like I did today."

Rutschman tied the game in the sixth by winning an eight-pitch battle with reliever Ron Marinaccio, lining a full-count single into left field to score Jorge Mateo after the shortstop’s single and fifth stolen base.

Ryan Mountcastle drew a leadoff walk against Marinaccio in the seventh and produced the Orioles’ 13^th stolen base of the season to lead the majors. Urías doubled off Jimmy Cordero, advanced on a ground out and scored on the reliever’s second wild pitch of the inning.

"We're going to be in every game," said outfielder Austin Hays. "No matter where we're at in any part of the game, we know we've got a chance to win. The more we can come out on top in these back and forth kind of games, the more we grow as a team and a unit, and the more we just have confidence in ourselves."

Left-hander Cionel Pérez retired the Yankees in order on five pitches in the seventh, came back out for the eighth with the lead and didn’t get an out. Three straight hits, beginning with Giancarlo Stanton’s double and ending with Oswaldo Cabrera’s run-scoring single, reduced the lead to 7-6 and brought Hyde out of the dugout to summon Bryan Baker.

Jose Trevino wanted to bunt, ran the count to 2-0 and grounded into a double play, with Urías making the backhanded stop of a scorching ground ball and stepping on the bag.

"He had a huge game for us," Hyde said. "Showed you why he was a Gold Glover last year with that play. A game-saving play. But he's also got some pop in his bat. Took some great at-bats today. Heard his parents were here, which his incredible, super cool to watch him play. Played a great game."

Baker struck out Isiah Kiner-Falefa, shouted, pumped his fist multiple times and almost tore off Rutschman’s hand with a slap after the met along the first base line.

"He gets fired up. It's like the term around here," Hyde said.

"Bake's an emotional guy and that was a huge moment for us. Get a double play ball and get a big punchout after we were scuffling in the 'pen a little bit. He got three huge outs for us."

"I think I blacked out a little bit," Baker quipped. "I think it was fun, though."

Logan Gillaspie inherited a runner with no outs in the top of the sixth and the Orioles ahead 4-3 after Stanton’s leadoff blooper into left field, on the 87^th and final pitch from Dean Kremer. Gleyber Torres walked and Cabrera doubled to give the Yankees a 5-4 lead.

Kremer was charged with four runs and five hits in five-plus innings, with three walks and four strikeouts. He fanned Judge on a sweeper and 95.6 mph fastball above the zone, and also retired him on a fly ball.

One of Kremer’s walks was against Franchy Cordero, a late camp cut by the Orioles who opted out of his contract and signed with the Yankees. He made it to Camden Yards anyway.

And he wanted everyone to know it.

Cordero hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 4-3. Kremer issued a two-out walk to Trevino and Cordero drove a cutter 411 feet to right-center field.

The Orioles began today tied with the Dodgers for most runs scored between the first and fifth innings with 30. They took the lead in the second and padded it in the third.

Gunnar Henderson singled with one out in the second for the first Orioles hit in a home game, and he scored the first run on Adam Frazier’s single that followed a Urías walk against Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt.

Urías scored after Torres booted a potential double play grounder from Austin Hays. Mateo struck out and third baseman DJ LeMahieu made a lunging stop of Cedric Mullins’ grounder and got the force at second.

Frazier was robbed of an RBI hit in the fifth on Judge’s diving catch in center.

Rutschman drew a leadoff walk in the third, Anthony Santander doubled down the right field line to snap an 0-for-13 streak, and Mountcastle flied to deep center. Henderson doubled to score Santander for a 4-0 lead.

Kremer got in and out of a jam in the first. LeMahieu walked and Rizzo singled, but in between was one of Judge’s strikeout. The 19-pitch inning included a fly ball and grounder that got Kremer back into the dugout.

LeMahieu led off the third with an infield hit, but Judge flied out, Rizzo struck out and Rutschman registered the caught stealing to complete the double play.

Kremer lasted three innings in Boston and allowed five runs and six hits. He allowed one hit in three scoreless innings today, but a two-out single by Cabrera in the fourth started a rally that Cordero punctuated.

What followed was a 1-2-3 fifth inning that left Kremer at 85 pitches and enabled him to return for the sixth. He was done after Stanton’s hit.

"Felt better this time than I did last time," Kremer said. "I did a better job mixing pitches and keeping them off balance."

Left-hander Danny Coulombe committed a balk in the sixth after replacing Gillaspie, but he retired the two batters he faced to keep the deficit at one run. Pérez disposed of LeMahieu, Judge and Rizzo in rapid fashion in the seventh, but the drama wasn’t over.

The Orioles went 7-12 against the Yankees last season, including 4-6 at Camden Yards. They’re 1-0 so far in 2023.

"As far as I'm concerned, they're a tough team to beat and they're contenders now," said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. "You know you've got to play well to beat them. ... They're a formidable opponent. We know that. We saw that building the last couple years but certainly last year, and now they're playing with a lot of confidence. They're a tough team to play against."

They're also capable of whipping their fans into a frenzy.

The chants of "Let's Go Yankees" weren't nearly as loud today. Visitors weren't taking over the ballpark.

"To see all these fans out there, it's special," Kremer said. "They came out today, the energy was great. It was a lot of fun.

"Today, I think we definitely outnumbered them and it was an awesome sight to see. I hope a lot of games are going to be like that."

"It was electric from the start," Baker said. "Feeding off their energy is something we can definitely use."

Said Henderson: "It was really awesome to be able to play behind them because I know it's a baseball city and they love the Orioles. Going out there and being able to win was really awesome. I was glad for the fans."