Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Would you make this trade?

The Draft Network’s JC Cornell posed a perplexing question regarding a hypothetical trade scenario for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Recently stumbling across a Twitter poll posted by the founder and CEO of The Draft Network JC Cornell, this writer is torn on what he would do if he were in the hot seat. The poll was a potential trade between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the reigning Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.

This trade is all hypothetical talk from Cornell and he assured his followers he has heard nothing about this actually happening. Let’s take a deeper look at the trade and see if it makes sense for the Bucs.

This particular trade proposal revolves around the former first round pick of the Bucs, tight end O.J. Howard. Bucs fans love them some Howard and would not want to move him, let alone move him to the Patriots. While the Bucs wouldn’t have to face Howard often if they sent him to the AFC nobody outside of the New England area wants to see the Pats add elite talent.

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In his two seasons in Tampa Bay, Howard has been a part of a tight end tandem alongside Cameron Brate. Due to this duo of players both being paid handsomely, there was no opportunity to really just feed one of the two and in turn did not allow either player to post gaudy numbers.

While Howard has not been a lights out tight end so far in his career, he has flashed a ton of upside and potential before getting hurt and missing the remainder of the 2018 season. Moving Howard allows Brate the chance to be the main target again and he has proven to have a great connection with quarterback Jameis Winston and is also a red zone touchdown machine.

Acquiring a former first round pick would not be cheap, especially since the Bucs are not exactly motivated to move on from Howard. Cornell proposes New England would send their recent third round pick in pass rusher Chase Winovich of Michigan, second year running back and former first rounder Sony Michel and their 2020 first round pick which likely falls in the 26-32 range.

Acquiring a proven edge player in Winovich provides much needed depth and upside; he is on a team friendly contract for the next four years as well. Sony Michel would come into the building and be the starting running back within a week, if not a day after showing how talented he really is in his rookie campaign, also a team friendly deal with a fifth year option.

Adding another first round pick in 2020 is a great piece of ammunition to have in your back pocket if an opportunity were to arise to acquire a Khalil Mack or Odell Beckham Jr., who have been moved in back-to-back years, next offseason.

If general manager Jason Licht were to accept this trade, it would be shocking because unless the team makes the playoffs, this is likely his last season with the organization so he is playing to win now. Personally, this writer would accept this trade to add a talented starting caliber running back, a pass rushing prospect many around the league think will be a quality contributor, and a trade asset in 2020.

If this season does not go according to plan and the team finds themselves picking in the top-ten again, having an extra first allows you to move up to potentially take a franchise changing player, whether that be a new quarterback or an elite pass rusher. First round picks are found gold in the NFL.

The poll currently has roughly 1,500 votes with yes (59% of the votes). Giving up a potential top-three tight end is never easy but the Bucs have holes to fill and this trade helps answer a few of those questions. Again, all theoretical of course.