The Patriots should’ve received a Tampa tight end in this deal
The Patriots should have gotten a ready-made tight end from Tampa Bay as part of the trade. O.J. Howard could have been an option for New England moving forward, and he should have at least been part of the package.
Howard has been a consistent player ever since he came into the league. He made an impact right away in his rookie year, catching 26 passes for 432 yards and six touchdowns.
He followed that up with an even better 2018 season, catching 34 passes for 565 yards and five touchdowns. Last year, he really had to battle with Cameron Brate for snaps. Even still, he managed to record 459 yards receiving.
Howard has been the subject of trade rumors, so New England could in theory still get him. However, I thought New England would at least get the veteran tight end from Tampa in the deal. Howard made the most sense to me in terms of a return in this trade. He has been the subject of potential trade rumors for several years now. I thought that we would see him in a deal here.
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