TheOak

Sign and trade is not even remotely an option.

While "yes you could", you could also gnaw off your leg because you do not like the way your socks look.

Whether you Tag him in any format, or sign him to a contract he would agree to, you will get stuck with a large amount of dead money.

A tag value is guaranteed for 1 year and guaranteed money becomes dead money as soon as you trade him.

Example: Tag him for 11.7m, trade him, you now have 11.7m of dead cap and no player. Whether you get draft picks or a player for him you then have to sign who ever it is and that will cost you at least 1.7m (Vaccaro/Ingram rookie cap hit)being your total cap consumption for this lunacy to at least 13.4M...

Long term contract:
If he agrees to a Gronkowski contract, you give him 13m in guaranteed money. So when you trade him after he signs you have 13m in dead money and you still have to pay someone to replace him adding 1.5Mish and you just cost your self 14.5m in 2014 for a 1.5m player.

A TE tag would cost you 8m for a 1.5m player...

Where did all this sign then trade talk come from? Its Absolute lunacy.

Its sinking $5k in car stereo into your car then trading it in at a dealership. You are left with nothing but a bill.