Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, citing a “person informed of the Bucs thinking,” reports that Tampa Bay is interested in trading forย 49ers G Alex Boone.
- Rapoport adds that there has been no conversations between the two teams up to this point, but the front office has touched base with a number ofย teams to discuss available options.
- According to Rapoport, the Buccaneers “preferred option” would be to build from within.
The Buccaneers make plenty of sense as a potential trade partner for Boone as they currently haveย Oniel Cousins and Jamon Meredith projected to be their starting guards.
Booneย is unhappy with his current dealย and is hoping to secure a new contract that would pay him a more competitive salary in line with what starting guards are making around the NFL.
As things stand right now,ย Boone’s averageย salary would make him the 43rd highest paid guard in the league.
San Francisco didย freed up some extra cap space in recent weeks, but they have shown a willingness to negotiate with players who actually attend camp and not holding out, which is something that could work against Boone.
Boone, 27, is entering the fourth year of a five-year deal and is slated to makeย $2 million for the 2014 season. He currentlyย counts $2.6 million against the cap next season.
Boone moved from tackle to guard two seasons ago and it paid off in a big way for the 49ers, as heย graded out as the No. 3 guard in the 2012 season according toย Pro Football Focus. ย However, he regressed someย last yearย when he was rated as theย No. 40ย guardย out of 81 qualifying players.
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