The Patriots have agreed to trade six-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Logan Mankins to Tampa Bay for tight end Tim Wright and a draft pick.
The deal Tuesday came less than 24 hours after the Bucs met with Richie Incognito to try to determine if one of the central figures in the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal might be an answer to their problems at guard.
Mankins, 32, was a first-round draft pick of the Patriots in 2005 and has been selected for the Pro Bowl each of the past five seasons. He’s appeared in two Super Bowls and started all 130 regular season games and 17 postseason games he’s played in during a nine-year stay with New England.
Mankins had two years left on a 6-year $51 million contract. By trading him the Pats will save nearly $6 million against this year’s salary cap.
Wright is a second-year pro who started eight games as a rookie in 2013, finishing with 54 receptions for 571 yards and five touchdowns.
Despite a productive rookie year, Wright became expendable after the Bucs signed veteran tight end Brandon Myers in free agency and then selected Austin Seferian-Jenkins in the second round of the draft.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.