Buccaneers make perfect trade for dominant replacement player
By Rob Leeds
The Buccaneers just made one of the best trades of the offseason.
Well, I guess we couldn’t stay too upset about the Buccaneers losing Jordan Whitehead for too long. Instead of leaving that bad taste in the air, Tampa just decided to address another major need for next season.
The loss of Alex Cappa and Ali Marpet was going to hurt one of the best offensive lines in the league last season. The tackles and centers are All-Pro caliber players, but you want the guards to be good as well to provide proper protection for Tom Brady.
Rather than leaning on two new guys to keep Brady’s jersey clean, the Bucs just made a perfect trade for Patriots guard Shaq Mason.
#Patriots trading G Shaq Mason to the #Buccaneers, sources tell me and @RapSheet
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 15, 2022
The Buccaneers gave up a fifth-round pick to take on Mason’s two-year $16 million contract.
What a steal.
The Buccaneers add an under-rated star
Mason has consistently been one of the best guards in football. His name may not show up on any Pro Bowl or All-Pro lists, but his consistency on the line over the years has made every quarterback in New England better.
We didn’t hear much from the Patriots during a relatively disappointing past two seasons, but Mason was still there, playing as well as he could.
Mason has only given up seven sacks during the past four years, although sacks aren’t the only measure of a lineman. However, to put that number in perspective, Cappa has given up nine in the last three years, five in 2021 alone.
The Buccaneers got better, and they did it by paying their new starter even less. To make the deal even better, the Bucs are on pace to get a fifth-round comp pick from Cappa’s departure, so they really didn’t spend much at all to find a cheaper and better option.
Judging on his career, Mason should be the new right guard for the Bucs, but he does have the history to play wherever he is needed. The Buccaneers may want to use him at left guard and bring the new guy in on the right, but all of that is secondary to the fact that the Buccaneer offensive line just solidifying itself again as one of the best in the NFL on the back of an excellent move.
Buccaneers find excellent option to fill major offensive need. light. Trending
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