Report: Patriots Trade Shaq Mason To Buccaneers
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Patriots started their Tuesday with a trade. They made one more before the day was through.
The team agreed to send right guard Shaq Mason to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a deal that was first reported by Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald.
BREAKING: #Patriots RG Shaq Mason is being traded to the Bucs, per source.
— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) March 15, 2022
ESPN's Field Yates reported that the Patriots will receive a fifth-round pick in return.
The Buccaneers are sending the Patriots a fifth-round pick in exchange for Shaq Mason, per source. https://t.co/TBnW1tTpdT
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 15, 2022
Mason had been due to count for $10.2 million against the cap this season. By trading him, the Patriots gain more than $7 million in cap space.
Mason was a fourth-round pick by the Patriots in 2015 out of Georgia Tech. He started 10 games as a rookie, and he's started 88 of a possible 97 regular-season games since then. He's also started 13 playoff games for New England, winning Super Bowls in 2016 and 2018. The 28-year-old signed a five-year, $45 million contract in 2018.
Now reunited with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay, Mason helps fill a need at guard. The Bucs lost both of their starting guards from last season after Ali Marpet retired and Alex Cappa left for Cincinnati in free agency.
Meanwhile in New England, the Patriots have now lost both of their guards from last season, after Ted Karras also joined the Bengals via free agency.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Patriots traded Chase Winovich to Cleveland in exchange for linebacker Mack Wilson.