Gronkwski, 22, had four different stints on the New England practice squad. The 6-foot-3, 234-pounder, originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Buffalo Bills on May 2, 2016, out of Kansas State. Gronkowski made the Buffalo 53-man roster and played in the season opener at Baltimore, and did not record any statistics. He was released by Buffalo on Sept. 12, 2016, and initially joined the Patriots to the practice squad on Oct. 1.