Ok so ideal world with all things considered, they trade Thuney to a contender that has a good young guard with upside, but who isn't a pro-bowl level guy yet. Thuney solidifies them for their championship aspirations, while the Pats get a cheap young guy with potential, and clear up a lot of cap space.
Or how about this trade:
NE gives: G Thuney, 7th round pick (or 6th)
TB gives: G Marpet, TE Howard
Thuney is better than Marpet. Thuney is a top 3 or 4 guard in the NFL. He ranked #5 by PFF last year, but other rankings have him higher than that. But Marpet is good. Not Thuney-level good, but good. He's just 27 so he has good years left as well.
Marpet is signed for the following costs:
2020: $11m cap hit
2021: $10.6m cap hit
2022: $10.4m cap hit
2023: $10.6m cap hit
Thuney will cost more than that, obviously. But probably not crazy more. Probably about $4 million a year more.
OJ Howard's cost:
2020: $3.5m cap hit
So basically the teams would come out even in 2020 in terms of cap hit. TB improves at G, perhaps by a pretty decent amount. Brady gets a guy that he's super comfortable with and trusts. They also add a draft pick as well. The Patriots get a very legit replacement for Thuney on a reasonable deal, plus a massive upgrade at TE, for one year at least.
Or how about this trade:
NE gives: G Thuney, 7th round pick (or 6th)
TB gives: G Marpet, TE Howard
Thuney is better than Marpet. Thuney is a top 3 or 4 guard in the NFL. He ranked #5 by PFF last year, but other rankings have him higher than that. But Marpet is good. Not Thuney-level good, but good. He's just 27 so he has good years left as well.
Marpet is signed for the following costs:
2020: $11m cap hit
2021: $10.6m cap hit
2022: $10.4m cap hit
2023: $10.6m cap hit
Thuney will cost more than that, obviously. But probably not crazy more. Probably about $4 million a year more.
OJ Howard's cost:
2020: $3.5m cap hit
So basically the teams would come out even in 2020 in terms of cap hit. TB improves at G, perhaps by a pretty decent amount. Brady gets a guy that he's super comfortable with and trusts. They also add a draft pick as well. The Patriots get a very legit replacement for Thuney on a reasonable deal, plus a massive upgrade at TE, for one year at least.