The Facts: Following up on the ongoing story. ... Gronkowski will need back surgery. The procedure will happen in mid-June, and he'll miss at least the start of training camp. However, Herald colleague Karen Guregian reported last week that the expectation would be for Gronkowski to be out until late-September if he did need the back surgery, which will remove part of a disc that caused discomfort last season. Dr. Robert Watkins, who performed Gronkowski's back surgery in 2009 when he was at Arizona, will operate on him again.

Diehards Line:The Pats have recently been bracing for this news. Gronkowski played through a great deal of back pain last season, and all sides knew surgery was an option this offseason. Before anything, though, they had to rid his left arm of a troublesome infection. The major question now is when Gronkowski can return. If he makes it back at some point in training camp, there will be some optimism about his availability for the start of the regular season. Yet, if the late-September timetable holds true, the Patriots could opt to place Gronkowski on the physically unable to perform list, and he'll miss at least the first six games of the regular season. ... Meanwhile, with Gronkowski sidelined, TE Jake Ballard has looked sharp in each of the media-accessible OTAs, showing limited signs of restriction nearly 16 months after originally suffering the knee injury. He's shown reliable hands to go along with his big frame (6-6, 275 pounds), and he should make a difference as a blocker when the pads come on. He's not Gronk; but then again, Gronkowski won't be himself until he's fully recovered either.