Patriots: 3 Joe Thuney trades Bill Belichick should pursue

2. Thuney to Tampa

Another tight end option for the Patriots lies in Tampa.

Does anybody actually believe Bruce Arians when he says that tight end OJ Howard holds a future with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Not only did they trade for Rob Gronkowski, but red zone monster Cameron Brate is still very much in the mix to contend for targets.

This could leave Howard with even less of a role than what he had in 2019 when he logged 34 receptions on just 53 targets for 459 yards and one touchdown. The former No. 19 overall pick is simply too talented to be underused to that extent. That’s why we see the Patriots as a perfect trade destination for Howard.

Devin Asiasi is a promising prospect, but we seriously doubt that the rookie out of UCLA is ready to handle the responsibilities of being a starting TE in the NFL (and a safety valve for Cam Newton). The Bucs clearly don’t value Howard, so they might as well look to trade him while improving a weakness in the process.

Including the Alabama product along with a second- or third-round draft pick would allow New England to free up cap space while adding a needed weapon in the passing game. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, would improve its offensive line in a big way as it strives to capture a Super Bowl with Brady under center.