NoShame

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The New England Patriots are usually good for a surprising roster move or two before the season. They out-did themselves on Tuesday.


The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced that they have acquired six-time Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins from the New England Patriots in exchange for Tim Wright and a draft pick. NFL Media's Albert Breer reports it's a fourth round pick. Fox Sports' Jay Glazer first reported the trade.

The Buccaneers' offensive line has been a disaster this preseason following the loss of Carl Nicks to retirement. Mankins immediately adds credibility to the line, although Buccaneers fans have to be worried that they are once again investing in a big name that is on the downside of his career.

Mankins, 32, was still a high quality starter last year for New England, even if he hasn't been quite as dominant as early in his career. Trading him is a strong statement by Bill Belichick that he no longer views Mankins as an elite player. Finances are certainly a factor too. Breer points out that Mankins' 2014 cap number is just over $10 million more than Wright's $498,333 cap number.

Wright feels like a somewhat small part of the deal. He was reportedly not even a lock to make the Buccaneers' roster as recently as a week ago when coach Lovie Smith called him out publicly. Wright is a talented "move" tight end that can line up as a receiver out of the slot. He adds another weapon to a thin tight end group in New England, but he's ultimately a role player.


The draft pick compensation and Mankins' salary are the key factors here. The deal simply doesn't make sense for the Patriots unless they believed Mankins was unlikely to be on their roster in 2015. Fourth-year pro Marcus Cannon is a promising player that the Patriots might have wanted to get into the lineup.

Bucs general manager Jason Licht says that free agent Richie Incognito, who they hosted on a visit Tuesday, is still "in play" to be signed. But the need has obviously lessened. Give the Buccaneers credit for seeing a major problem on their roster, and going out to aggressively fix it. Incognito would have been a half measure at best.

Just months after jettisoning some of the highest paid offensive linemen in the league -- Nicks, Davin Joseph, and Donald Penn -- the Buccaneers brought a new one aboard.
 

cmd34(work)

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The Patriots are not afraid to get value for an aging veteran.

We on the other hand, overpay ours so much that we have to cut them even if they go onto to have decent if not successful seasons with other teams,...cough, cough Terence Newman.
 

Rynie

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That's because our front office more resembles running the Barnum & Bailey circus and not an NFL franchise.
 

Hoofbite

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The Patriots are not afraid to get value for an aging veteran.

We on the other hand, overpay ours so much that we have to cut them even if they go onto to have decent if not successful seasons with other teams,...cough, cough Terence Newman.

Well Newman looked like shit, which I think is the real issue at hand because I think he looked like shit because this organization pretty much allows guys to sit out as much as they want. Surprisingly a guy who missed 7 preseason games from 2009 to 2011 played like shit while in Dallas, but since having moved on to Cincy he hasn't missed any and his play improved.
 

Doomsday

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Well Newman looked like shit, which I think is the real issue at hand because I think he looked like shit because this organization pretty much allows guys to sit out as much as they want. Surprisingly a guy who missed 7 preseason games from 2009 to 2011 played like shit while in Dallas, but since having moved on to Cincy he hasn't missed any and his play improved.
And there's a good many former Dallas players over the last several years who have fit this exact meter too.
 

Hoofbite

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I dunno know about many. I can't think of many. Bennett, but he wasn't hurt. The team just doesn't know how to use TEs.

Ware will be one. Probably Hatcher, too.
 

Doomsday

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Austin, and his fake hammy. Who's that D lineman who was all stove up allegedly, then pops up with the bears or something?
 

Bluenoser

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The Patriots are not afraid to get value for an aging veteran.

We on the other hand, overpay ours so much that we have to cut them even if they go onto to have decent if not successful seasons with other teams,...cough, cough Terence Newman.

Hasn't Newman in Cinny been better then any of our CB's?
 

Bluenoser

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Austin, and his fake hammy. Who's that D lineman who was all stove up allegedly, then pops up with the bears or something?

LOL are you even a fan? Pretty sure Austin wasn't faking and that D lineman was, "the defensive player formerly known as Jay Ratliff."
 

jeebus

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The Patriots are not afraid to get value for an aging veteran.

We on the other hand, overpay ours so much that we have to cut them even if they go onto to have decent if not successful seasons with other teams,...cough, cough Terence Newman.
Value,huh? Another TE?
 
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