Report: Patriots Asked About Trading For Bucks Tight End

The New England Patriots need to improve at tight end this season, but they can’t really find a good replacement for Rob Gronkowski. If they fail to do this, it won’t happen for a lack of trying to get another tight end. New England lost Gronk to retirement this offseason. They didn’t really pay attention to tight ends at the beginning of the 2019 NFL Draft. However, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that the Patriots wanted to trade for one of the best tight ends in the NFL.

“The Patriots’ decision to bring Benjamin Watson back after Matt LaCosse went to IR only further illustrates the team’s problems at Rob Gronkowski’s old spot,” Breer wrote in his latest “Monday Morning Quarterback” column. “Eight days until the trade deadline. New England already asked, and was told no on Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard. I’d expect they’ll be turning over rocks this week at the position.”

Howard hasn’t really played well since being drafted 19th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2017. The Alabama player is off to a slow start of the regular season. He has 13 catches for 176 yards with no touchdowns in six games. Howard wasn’t really great with the Buccaneers, but head coach Bill Belichick will sure find a way to unlock his potential.

The 24-year-old tight end may not be a fit heir for Gronkowski, but he will sure boost the team. The Patriots will play against the New York Jets without Matt LaCosse and Ryan Izzo, and that will be a real test for the team.

Replacing Gronk will be a tough business for the Pats.

“Nobody’s going to replace Rob. So it doesn’t matter what we’re doing, or who we bring in, that person is not just going to drop into the offense and say, ‘OK, I’ve got his role covered.’ That’s not going to happen,” Josh McDaniels said following Gronk’s retirement. “I think what you do is take the best group you can put together, figure out what their strengths are, and try to play to them.

“So at this point, I don’t really know. It would be unfair for me to say that, because I haven’t really seen many of them out there in our scheme, against a defense, obviously nothing in pads. So I think OTAs and training camp will be big for us this year in terms of evaluating what we have and how we should play. In May, it’s tough to say. It’s tough to project that.”