New Buccaneers guard Shaq Mason Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Patriots trade guard Shaq Mason to Buccaneers

By Adam Stites | Last updated 3/15/22

Two days after Tom Brady decided to end his brief retirement and return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the New England Patriots gave their former star quarterback a boost.

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport , the Patriots traded offensive guard Shaq Mason to the Buccaneers. New England will get a fifth-round pick back from Tampa Bay, per Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston.

Mason, 28, was a fourth-round pick in 2015 and stepped into the Patriots' starting lineup during his rookie season. In seven seasons with the team, he made 98 starts and was consistently graded by Pro Football Focus as one of the best interior offensive linemen in the NFL.

Highest graded Guards since 2016

Zack Martin: 93.3
Shaq Mason: 90.0 pic.twitter.com/fEN6CRZvrc
— PFF NE Patriots (@PFF_Patriots) February 15, 2022

While a fifth-round pick is not much in return, the Patriots reportedly spent much of the offseason looking for a trade partner to take Mason and finally found a buyer in Tampa Bay. He was due to count close to $7.4 million against the Patriots' salary cap in 2022 and $8.5 million in 2023.

With the Buccaneers, Mason will fill the void left by the surprise retirement of Pro Bowl guard Ali Marpet.

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