Former Alabama Players O.J. Howard, Cam Sims Sign with Raiders

The Crimson Tide products joins running back, and former Alabama teammate Josh Jacobs, on the Las Vegas offense.

Hunter De Siver | Mar 20, 2023

Former Alabama Players O.J. Howard, Cam Sims Sign with Raiders /

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Two former Alabama football players reportedly signed with the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday.

Free agent tight end O.J. Howard was the first per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

OJ Howard has now signed with the #Raiders. https://t.co/gwsgqRIof6
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 20, 2023

The Raiders traded Darren Waller, their starting tight end on March 14, meaning Howard, who was the 19th-overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, is competing for the first spot on the depth chart.

The 28-year-old Howard has suffered a multitude of injuries over the course of his six-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans, but a fresh start on a team loaded with talent on both sides of the ball could change the trajectory. When healthy, Waller was heavily used in the Raiders tight end-friendly system.

Later, the Athletic reported that Cam Sims would be joining him.

Sims, 27, spent his first five seasons with Washington. The undrafted wide receiver played 55 games with 17 starts, with 57 receptions for 804 yards and three touchdowns.

Both join former Crimson Tide teammates running back Josh Jacobs and cornerback Anthony Averett.

Las Vegas recently acquired quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who will likely start under center. Raiders All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams attempted to convince Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to join the team, but he is leaning towards the New York Jets. The addition of Garoppolo lowers the chance of the Raiders using their No. 7 overall draft pick on a quarterback, but don't rule it out.

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Published Mar 20, 2023

HUNTER DE SIVER

Hunter De Siver is a graduate from the University of Alabama, earning a degree in sports media. During his time in Tuscaloosa, Hunter distributed articles covering Alabama football, basketball, and baseball for WVUA 23 TV and discussed these topics on Tide 100.9 FM. Hunter also generated articles highlighting Crimson Tide products in the NFL and NBA for BamaCentral. Since graduation, he's been contributing a plethora of NFL and NBA stories for FanNation and is a staff writer at MizzouCentral, Cowbell Corner and is back at BamaCentral.