The best friend of a veteran quarterback is a talented and reliable left tackle protecting his blindside. So, in the wake of the news that longtime New England Patriots QB Tom Brady will be signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it’s fair to wonder if another veteran player could be packing his bags for Florida in the near future as well.
Could Trent Williams be a good fit for the Bucs?
We know that Brady has an affinity for Williams, as the Patriots were reportedly in talks to acquire the seven-time Pro-Bowler ahead of the trade deadline in 2019, though it never got as serious as some would make it. But while Brady’s new team is ripe with offensive weapons — Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, O.J. Howard, Cameron Brate — the offensive line is a bit underwhelming, especially at the left tackle position.
Trent is easily the best player that Tampa could plug into that position, but they would have to make two big commitments right off the bat. First, they’d have to reach an agreement with Williams on a future contract, which will likely range between $18-20 million per season; then the matter of fair compensation for the Redskins comes into play. Washington is not willing to just give their blue-chip asset away, and they are asking for a second-round draft pick in return. In 2020, the Bucs hold picks in the first round (14), second round (45), third round (76), and two in the fourth round (117, 139). They also have two later round picks, but those would be unlikely to come into play for a potential trade for Trent.
So far, it’s been hard to find any trade partner that will part with a second-rounder, could it be possible that the Bucs are willing to give Washington a third- and fourth-rounder instead? At the moment, that doesn’t seem to be enough for Washington, but as this dance drags on, they may be willing to take whatever they can get for the veteran left tackle.
