Patriots reportedly trade Logan Mankins to Bucs for Tim Wright

The New England Patriots have reportedly agreed to trade six-time Pro Bowl offensive guard Logan Mankins to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for tight end Tim Wright and a draft pick. The news was first reported by Jay Glazer of Fox Sports.

While we will likely never know Bill Belichick’s motivation for trading his most reliable offensive lineman just weeks before the start of the regular season, there could be a number of factors at play that sparked the deal. For starters, the Patriots acquired a pass-catching tight end in Wright. You have to wonder if New England considers that insurance for the oft-injured Rob Gronkowski.

Wright caught 54 passes for 571 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie in 2013. Gronkowski has seemed optimistic that he will be able to return in Week 1, but reports have indicated that there is about a 50% chance he won’t be ready. And even if he is, there’s no reason to believe he can remain healthy for a 16-game season.

There is also the possibility that Belichick sees Mankins, a 32-year-old veteran who has been a captain since 2011, as a player who is on the decline. Mankins allowed 11 sacks last season, which was second most in the NFL. He is more known for his run blocking than pass protection. Perhaps Belichick saw an opportunity to sell high based on Mankins’ past performance and jumped on it.

Another theory is that the Patriots are already looking to clear cap space to sign Darrelle Revis to a long-term contract extension. Mankins was set to make a $6.25 million base salary this season and $6.75 million per year in 2015 and 2016, plus bonuses. With Revis basically playing under a one-year deal and expected to command top dollar, something had to give.

This is the same Bill Belichick who cut Lawyer Milloy in training camp the year after winning a Super Bowl and traded Richard Seymour to the Oakland Raiders in his prime. No one should be surprised.