Within the 2017 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers chosen TE O.J. Howard with the nineteenth general decide. He performed 5 seasons in Tampa Bay and spent final yr with the Houston Texans. Howard had 10 catches for 145 receiving yards and two touchdowns final season with Houston.
This previous March, Howard was signed by the Raiders after Las Vegas traded TE Darren Waller to the New York Giants. Right now, Vincent Bonsignore reported that the Raiders have launched O.J. Howard. The 28-year-old was heading into his seventh NFL season. As an skilled TE, chances are high that he’ll get one other shot to play sooner or later this season, however not for the Raiders.
Veteran TE O.J. Howard has been launched by the Las Vegas Raiders
BREAKING: #Raiders are releasing veteran tight finish OJ Howard, per @VinnyBonsignore
Stable veteran TE now turns into obtainable pic.twitter.com/SXZgmVShBd
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) August 1, 2023
Over his first three years within the NFL, O.J. Howard was a strong TE for the Buccaneers. In his first two seasons, he mixed for 11 touchdowns. Howard has six touchdowns over his final 4 seasons. In 2020 the Bucs signed TE Rob Gronkowski and Howard’s function instantly shrunk. The yr earlier than Gronk got here to the Bucs, he had 34 receptions for 459 yards.
In his final three seasons, two with Tampa Bay and one with Houston, Howard solely has 426 receiving yards mixed. Decrease than any whole he put up in his first three seasons. With out Howard on the roster anymore, the Raiders will flip to Austin Hooper, Jesper Horsted, and rookie Michael Meyer for his or her manufacturing in 2023.
REPORT: @Raiders have launched TE OJ Howard pic.twitter.com/ejiUI5OxEf
— The Fantasy Supply (@FantasySource_) August 1, 2023
Austin Hooper has probably the most NFL expertise of the three TEs left on Las Vegas’ roster. He was signed by the Raiders in March after enjoying for the Tennessee Titans final season. His most efficient NFL season to date was in 2019 with the Atlanta Falcons when he had 75 receptions for 787 yards and 6 touchdowns. Hooper ought to see plenty of the workload for the Raiders this season.
There’s additionally rookie TE Michael Meyer who was an electrical participant at Notre Dame. He was a second-round decide by the Raiders and will probably be an attention-grabbing participant to observe in 2023. With O.J. Howard off the roster, for Las Vegas could have a new-look TE room this season. Darren Waller and Foster Moreau are not on the roster. There’s additionally a brand new QB beneath heart for the Raiders this season in Jimmy Garaoppolo.
