The Facts: Following up on a previous item. ... Gronkowski has yet to make a decision about a potential fourth surgery on his fractured left forearm. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported last month that Gronkowski's camp was keeping their options open as doctors waited to see whether a "stubborn" infection in his forearm would clear up on its own. That hasn't stopped Gronk from participating in New England's offseason program, where he "looks great," a source told ESPNBoston's Mike Reiss.

Diehards Line: Gronk has encountered no unexpected setbacks, according to Reiss, who last month reported that it was "very likely" another surgery would be needed. We're weeks away from a final decision, but Reiss now reports that there's a "chance that (an operation) could be avoided," which is music to the ears of all who love Gronk. As noted in the previous item, Patriots Football Weekly's Erik Scalavino isn't as optimistic -- and he follows the team as closely as the rest. So we're still in wait-and-see mode. ... What we know for sure is a fourth surgery would potentially threaten Gronkowski's availability for the start of the season, a worst-case-scenario for New England's offense. ... Stay tuned.