The Patriots have agreed to the parameters of a trade that would send Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins to the Buccaneers for a fourth-round pick and tight end Tim Wright. FOX Sports' Jay Glazer first reported the news.
"We were looking at all options," Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said Tuesday, according to the Tampa Bay Times' Greg Auman. "It's something we've been talking about since first week of camp. We feel very fortunate. Logan is a very good player. I'm a first-hand witness to what he means to the locker room."
Licht worked in the Pats' front office from 2009-11, and director of player personnel Jon Robinson was with the Pats from 2002-13.
Mankins, the Patriots' 2005 first-round pick has started at least 15 games in seven of his nine NFL seasons, and he fills an obvious need on a Buccaneers' offensive line that has looked overmatched for much of the preseason. On Monday, the Bucs visited with former Dolphins guard Richie Incognito, but he left without signing a contract.
The raises the stock of Bucs RB Doug Martin a bit as the Tampa has been looking to improve their struggling line and this will help. As the story points out, the Pats have a history of knowing when to get rid of an aging player and still get value. Mankins is a Pro Bowler and considered a top-20 guard.
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