Buccaneers trade for Ali Marpet replacement, land Patriots’ Shaq Mason

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have traded for New England Patriots guard Shaq Mason to help offset losing Ali Marpet to retirement.

With Ali Marpet retiring, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were able to find a suitable replacement along the offensive interior by orchestrating a trade with the New England Patriots for guard Shaq Mason.

Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported the longtime offensive guard is heading to Tampa Bay. He reunites with his former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Prior to the trade, Mason had spent his entire NFL career out of Georgia Tech with the Patriots, helping keep Brady upright from 2015 until he left in NFL free agency for the Buccaneers two offseasons ago.

This is huge news for the Buccaneers, as a familiar face is coming over to help protect Brady.

Garafolo reports Tampa Bay will take on the final two years of Mason’s salary at $16 million.

His NFL Network colleague Mike Giardi reported it is a fifth-round pick going the Patriots’ way.

With a 2022 fifth-round pick going to the Patriots, Brady and Mason are thinking about winning another Super Bowl together.

Buccaneers trade for Ali Marpet’s successor in deal with Patriots for Shaq Mason

This is massive for Tampa Bay. It signifies that the Buccaneers are going to do everything in their power to make Brady happen in what could be his final season in the NFL. While a fifth-round pick is chump change for them at this point, identifying a key player from the Patriots’ offense for the last several years and getting him to Tampa is huge in the franchise’s commitment towards Brady.

The other side of the coin here is Tampa Bay did lose their other offensive guard from last year’s team Alex Cappa to the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency. While getting Ryan Jensen back on a long-term deal to keep playing center, it was imperative to give Brady a strong offensive interior to quarterback behind this fall. After all, the GOAT is playing in his age-45 season out of Michigan.

Ultimately, the Buccaneers need to go all-in this year. They are the favorite to repeat in the NFC South, regardless of if a division rival trades for Deshaun Watson. Much of the NFC is either mediocre at best or rebuilding. While teams like the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams loom large, the Buccaneers are right there with them when it comes to Super Bowl contention.

It may only be an offensive guard switching teams, but this is a Brady-approved move for sure.