As Tampa Bay Buccaneers players continue to wait on whether Rob Gronkowski will choose to play in the 2022 season, team officials are “optimistic” about the veteran tight end returning later this year, according to Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud.

Gronkowski hit free agency in March after his one-year contract with the Buccaneers was up. Since then, the veteran tight end has yet to provide an official declaration on if he plans to feature for the reigning NFC South champions in the 2022 campaign.

Stroud adds that while Gronkowski is “undecided” on his future in the NFL, the Buccaneers have confidence that the tight end will re-sign “sometime” before the team reports to training camp in late July.

At the least, Gronkowski will not join the Buccaneers for their full squad workouts later this week.

Gronkowski has not issued a timeline as to when he will make a decision on his playing career. He did note in April that if he opts to return for the 2022 season, it would only be to play for Tampa Bay.

Last month, Gronkowski did fuel speculation about a possible retirement call when he commented on an Instagram post of Leonard Fournette's noting that he will “represent a 7 jersey” for the running back in the stands next season.

If Gronkowski decides to call it a career in the coming months, the Buccaneers would then have multiple options to be their new starting tight end. For one, Cameron Brate is set to feature in what will be his ninth campaign in Tampa Bay, while rookies Cade Otton and Ko Kieft are slated to provide the team with depth at the position.

Regardless of whether he elects to play in the 2022 season, Gronkowski has already put together quite a resume for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.