While there are still trade rumors connecting the New England Patriots to Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard, former NFL general manager Michael Lombardi finds that move unlikely.
The Patriots traded retired tight end Rob Gronkowski and a seventh-round selection to the Buccaneers for a fourth-round pick Tuesday night. Lombardi believes the Patriots could have received Howard in the deal.
“Here’s what I think you learn in the trade: If the Patriots would have wanted Howard, they could have easily said to Tampa, ‘Look, instead of the fourth, put Howard in the deal.’ And they didn’t,” Lombardi said Wednesday on his podcast, “The GM Shuffle”. “They took the fourth. So, they’d rather have the fourth than Howard. So, that tells you just looking at it superficially that the Patriots value the fourth more than they value Howard. Someone could say, ‘Well, maybe the Bucs wouldn’t put Howard in the deal.’ Seriously? Like, OK. You’re not going to put him in the deal? You can’t play (Gronkowski, Howard and tight end Cameron Brate). If you play the three of them, then that means (wide receivers Chris) Godwin and (Mike) Evans, they’re on the bench next to you. So, where’s the playtime? So, clearly the Patriots made a decision they would rather have a fourth than Howard.”
Lombardi worked with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick on the Cleveland Browns in the 1990s and with the New England Patriots from 2014 to 2016.
The Patriots have a glaring need at tight end. They could spend multiple picks on the position in the 2020 NFL Draft.
