The Curious Case of O.J. Howard
"Waiting for you is like waiting for rain in this drought: Useless and disappointing."
That's what Hilary Duff said to Chad Michael Murray in "A Cinderella Story," and it's how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just might feel about O.J. Howard at this point.
The No. 19 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Howard was supposed to be the next step in the progression of the NFL tight end as a field-stretching, matchup-busting playmaker. Instead, he's missed time due to nagging injuries, and when healthy, been the victim on both inconsistent play and puzzling usage.
Howard has missed 10 games in three seasons due to various injuries, and while he's had his flashes of brilliance, he's also struggled with holding onto the football.
Heading into his first season under Bruce Arians, many wondered if the new head coach's penchant for letting his tight ends be an afterthought in the passing game would render Howard somewhat useless. Well, Arians certainly found a use for the former first-rounder, but mostly by taking advantage of the blocking skills he honed while playing in Alabama's run-heavy offense.
Three seasons in, the Bucs have gotten little return on investment for their top-20 selection. Yes, Howard showed promise over his first two NFL seasons, averaging nearly 17 yards per catch and hauling in 11 touchdowns. But last year under Arians, that average dropped to 13.5 yards per reception, and he found the end zone just once. He also contributed to backbreaking turnovers multiple times. letting an easy catch glance of his fingertips for an interception, and coughing up a fumble deep in opposing territory late in a winnable game that turned into a loss.
Heading into his fourth season, Howard is still a huge question mark, something no team wants when it's time to think about picking up the fifth-year option that accompanies every first-round pick.
Enter Rob Gronkowski.
Yes, Gronk may just be a short-term rental, but giving up a fourth-round pick tells me the Bucs have plans for him beyond 2020. He's still just 30 years old, and left the league a year ago as the most dominant tight end in NFL history.
The Bucs love their blocking specialist in Antony Auclair, having already re-signed him this offseason. Cameron Brate is the elder statesman of the group, but he's still just 28 years old, and far more established as a consistent performer than Howard.
Howard also has the most to offer potential trade suitors. He's just 25 years old, with up to two years of team control at a fairly low cost. Perhaps another team could unlock his potential, allowing him to live up to the lofty expectations that come with being a top-20 pick.
Coming out of Alabama, Howard's rare combination of size and athleticism made him look like a unicorn on paper. Sure, the Crimson Tide hadn't maximized his potential as a pass-catcher (outside of a breakout game against Clemson in the national title game), but that was just a product of their system, right? I mean, they didn't use Julio Jones a ton, and he translated to the next level just fine.
Right?
The Bucs and their fans have been waiting for Howard to break out for too long. It may just be that he helps the team most by going elsewhere in return for a draft pick the team can use to address a position they actually need.
