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GettyBill Belichick
The New England Patriots didn’t get high marks for much of their offseason work in 2022. In particular, the trade that sent respected offensive lineman Shaq Mason to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in lieu of a fifth-round pick.
According to Alex Kay of Bleacher Report, the deal was one of the five worst of the NFL offseason. The Patriots didn’t add much in the way of flashy names, which makes their deal to send Mason away for a last-round pick harder to fathom.
B/R says Mason Deal is bad for the Patriots
“The Patriots accepted a meager fifth-round pick for Shaq Mason, a bargain price for a guard who earned an 88.3 sterling rating on PFF and was ranked the site’s 35th best player of the 2021 campaign,” Kay wrote. .
You’d think the Patriots could have gotten more draft assets for a proven player like Mason.
“Mason, fresh off a season in which he allowed just 16 rushes and one sack in 589 pass-blocking plays while protecting rookie quarterback Mac Jones, now joins a Bucs team that sorely needed increased protection. of Brady after the departure of Alex Cappa in free agency. and Ali Marpet’s retirement,” Kay wrote. “New England could have gotten a lot more for Mason if they had bought the 28-year-old a little more.”
While Mason hasn’t had his name made for a Pro Bowl, his value as an interior pass protector and run blocker has been evident throughout the season. Given the turnover Tom Brady and company have experienced on the Bucs’ offensive line, they were probably thrilled to have a player of Mason’s caliber to help protect Brady.
The two men were teammates in New England from 2015 to 2019, capturing two Super Bowl titles together. In Tampa Bay, the dup will go after Mason’s third ring and Brady’s eighth.
Meanwhile, the Patriots still have some questions about the offensive line.
New England has some depth issues at the OL
David Andrews is a lock to return and assume his role as the team’s starting center. His major injuries seem to be a thing of the past, so he should be able to be the Patriots’ O-Line anchor again in 2022. New England lost another starting guard this offseason when Ted Karras signed a free agent deal with Cincinnati. Bengals. .
The Patriots still have third-year pro Michael Onwenu. He had an excellent rookie season in 2020 before being pushed to the bench in favor of Karras. They shouldn’t miss a beat with Onwenu in a starting guard position. It will be interesting to see what happens with the other guard post though.
Veteran James Ferentz will be an option, but the Patriots could look to the draft, a trade or the off-field portion of NFL free agency to find a stronger starting option. New England looks set to take on Isaiah Wynn and Trent Brown.
The latter just signed a deal with the Patriots to return after an injury-plagued 2021 campaign. If Brown and Wynn stay healthy, New England shouldn’t have much trouble handling the ball or protecting Mac Jones.
While New England still appears to be in a position of power and depth at the O-Line, it seems hard to imagine the team won’t miss a player as consistent as Mason. If he stays healthy, he could be one of the Bucs’ unsung heroes.
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