It was recently reported that New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski may be able to avoid undergoing another surgery on his left forearm. However, a source familiar with the case told Karen Guregian of The Boston Herald that Gronkowski will require the additional procedure regardless of how his recovery goes.

The source said that the fourth operation still has to happen, as the plate that's securing the broken bone in Gronkowski's forearm has to be changed. At that point, the tissue surrounding the break will be tested to see if there is infection in Gronkowski's arm.

While the fourth operation can't be avoided, the source indicated that the real question remaining is whether or not Gronkowski will require a fifth surgery. If the infection is gone, the plate will be replaced and the recovery process can proceed. However, if the arm is still infected, that change won't be able to happen and another surgery will be required at a later date.

If a fifth surgery is required, Gronkowski could be put at risk of missing the start of the season. Doctors are hoping to avoid this by allowing the tight end's arm additional time to recover from infection so that they can do everything necessary when they go in for the fourth procedure.

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