Logan Mankins played guard in the NFL at an elite level for 11 seasons for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Drafted by the Patriots in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft, Mankins started for them the whole way until he was traded to the Buccaneers in 2014 because he wanted to be paid what he was worth and the Patriots can’t have that. The Patriots got a fourth round pick and tight end Tim Wright, who they eventually cut.
Mankins made seven Pro Bowl teams, including this last season with the Bucs. When you put that together with Mankins’ Super Bowl ring and three AFC Championship games, it probably means he’ll walk right into the Hall of Fame in a few years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMpzWWrTGs0
Logan Mankins, Offensive Guard
The Bucs knew Mankins was done so they wasted no time in finding his replacement in free agency, spending big money to sign Seattle Seahawks guard and future WWE heel J.R. Sweezy. Sweezy got a five-year, $32 million contract from Tampa Bay with $14.5 million guaranteed. It’s a deal that works well for both teams, with his highest cap number coming this season at $9.5 million. It hovers between $5 million and $6.5 million for the rest of the deal.
OFFICIAL: Guard J.R. Sweezy has signed a five-year contract with the Buccaneers!
READ: https://t.co/HWgEajCx8v pic.twitter.com/Q1k3EBN9g7
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) March 10, 2016
Sweezy is an intense guy and never played a snap of offense in college. He was drafted as a defensive lineman out of NC State in the seventh round of the 2012 draft and Seahawks o-line coach Tom Cable converted him into one of the best guards in the league. Sweezy’s loss leaves a huge hole in Seattle already weakened line, but for the Bucs he should plug right in.
Counting Sweezy, last year’s second round pick Ali Marpet and second-year man Antoine Everette out of McNeese State, the Bucs have a total of three guards on the roster. That is absolutely not enough. After already spending plenty of money in free agency, the Bucs will have to look at the draft to add some bodies to the team.
Tampa Bay picks ninth in round one, but they won’t go guard there at all. Considering they have three young guys already that they like, they probably will skip that position in round two unless Cody Whitehair from Kansas State somehow drops down to them at No. 39. What they’ll probably do is begin looking hard at the position from the third round on and they need to get two guys in this draft or sign someone that can make the team as an undrafted free agent.
The Bucs pick at No. 74 in the third round so they could be looking at a guy like Christian Westerman out of Arizona State. Westerman is 6-foot-3, and 298 pounds and started 25 consecutive games for the Sun Devils over the last seasons. If Westerman isn’t there, they could look at Landon Turner out of North Carolina. Turner is 6-4 and 330 pounds. Hes a road-grader and was named to the ACC All-Conference first team this season.
In the fourth round at No. 108 Tampa Bay could look at Connor McGovern out of Missouri or Spencer Drango from Baylor. McGovern is 6-foot-4, 306 pounds who played both tackle and right guard positions in his time at Missouri. Drango is a giant at 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds and started all four years for the Bears at left tackle. He’ll need some work to move inside, but not a lot.
In the fifth round the Bucs pick at No. 148 at that puts them in range to nab a guy like Graham Glasgow out of Michigan. A monster like Drango at 6-foot-6 and 307 pounds, Glasgow can play guard and center and comes with that Michigan offensive lineman pedigree. Oregon State’s Isaac Seumalo could also still be on the board. He’s 6-foot-4, 303 pounds, Seumalo can also play guard and center as well as left tackle.
The steal of the draft at this position may come in the sixth or seventh round with whoever picked Parker Ehinger out of Cincinnati. The Bearcats offensive line allowed just 13 sacks last season and Ehinger was probably their best lineman, earning first-team All-American Athletic Conference. He’s also 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds.
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