TAMPA, Fla. – In continuation of a roster purge to save salary cap space, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers began trading right guard Shaq Mason to the Houston Texans, a source told ESPN on Tuesday.
According to one source, the Bucs are trading Mason and a seventh-round pick (No. 230) to the Texans for a sixth-round pick (No. 179) in the 2023 NFL Draft.
A source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Tuesday that the Texans signed receiver Noah Brown on Tuesday as an extra move on the offensive side of the ball.
Brown set career highs in catches (43), receiving yards (555) and touchdowns (3) for the Cowboys last season.
The Bucs were planning to release Mason if there was no trade partner. His salary cap hit in 2023 was $9.58 million. The move saved the Bucs $5.27 million in salary cap space in 2023. The Bucs would absorb a $4.3 million cap hit in the process. The move saved the Bucs $1.08 million in cap space in 2024, 2025 and 2026, which were all zero years in Mason’s contract.
Mason, 29, had a 92.7% pass block win rate in 2022, surrendering a total of 3.0 sacks on the year. He was one of the better run blockers for the struggling Bucs ground game with a 70.1% run block win rate.
The Bucs traded for Mason just over a year ago, sending quarterback Tom Brady to the New England Patriots with a fifth-round draft pick, Alex Cappa in free agency, and reuniting with one of their trusted defenders after Ali Marpet left due to retirement. mixed up.
The move left the Bucs with vacancies at left tackle (following the release of longtime starter Donovan Smith) as well as starting right guard. The Bucs still need a quarterback to compete with Kyle Trask, their only signal-caller on the roster.
Two weeks ago, the Bucs were $55 million over the salary cap. After releasing Smith, running back Leonard Fournette and tight end Cameron Brett, restructuring for defensive tackle Vita V, wide receiver Chris Godwin, cornerback Carlton Davis III and center Ryan Jensen, and taking a payday. After working out a deal with wide receiver Russell Gage after cuts, the Bucs were able to drop below the $224.8 million cap.
However, they re-signed cornerback Jamel Dean on Monday to a four-year, $52 million deal ($26 million guaranteed). All NFL teams have until 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday to comply with the cap.
