Patriots Should Absolutely Inquire About Bucs TE O.J. Howard

The Buccaneers' tight end is rumored to be on the trade market again. That means the Patriots should be picking up the phone yesterday to try and trade for him.

It appears there may be a top-market tight end available for trade. Again. 

After reports surfaced last season that Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard was on the trade block, rumors have surfaced a week before the 2020 NFL Draft that the former first round pick could be on the block once again. 

“I (got) a phone call ... from somebody in the league who said, ‘Look, I don’t think Howard’s going to be on the (Buccaneers next season). They’re trying to trade him,'” The Athletic's Michael Lombardi said on the "GM Shuffle" podcast. “They wanted a second-round pick for him at the trading deadline (that) no one would give them. Howard’s got a great name, but I think there’s an instinctive issue going on. I think he’s going to be available. It would not surprise me if he was traded on draft day or the day before.”

In case you didn't know already, the Patriots are in desperate need of a tight end. Last season they relied on Benjamin Watson as their No. 1 tight end while also throwing Matt LaCosse and Ryan Izzo into the mix. But now that Watson has retired, the team is left with LaCosse and Izzo, who are no where near starting caliber players. It was expected that New England would look to the draft to acquire another talented TE, but that may not be necessary if they could trade for Howard. 

If a second-round pick is the asking price this time around for Howard, then it may be a bit tricky for the Patriots to make a trade happen since they do not have a 2020 second rounder. However, they do have multiple third round picks this year and a 2021 second round pick, so they could potentially package some of those draft picks together to get Howard. There is also the possibility of New England sending Tampa Bay their first round pick in 2020 - which is the 23rd overall pick - to get Howard if they need to outbid another team for him or if that's what it will take to pry the veteran from the Buccaneers' hands ahead of the draft. 

Either way, Bill Belichick should be picking up the phone and calling Bucs GM Jason Licht ASAP to figure out if Howard is actually on the trade block, and if he is, what it will take to make Howard a Patriot.