Bucs Gameday

Former Buccaneers First Round Pick Released by Buffalo

Tampa Bay's once-promising tight end prospect has hit another roadblock in his pursuit of success at the NFL level.

Collin Haalboom

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He's big. He's strong. He's fast. He was once a five star recruit and the best tight end prospect in the nation. O.J. Howard was pretty much the blueprint for what an NFL tight end should look like.

On paper, anyway.

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Unfortunately, Howard's incredible physical profile has never translated into success at the NFL level. Which is something that Bucs fans know all too well.

Howard was selected with the 19th pick in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Buccaneers. It was considered a bargain by many, and a shock to some, that he was still available at that point of the draft. 

Fast forward five seasons, and it's clear that despite his gifts, Howard just doesn't have the intangibles required to be a star in the NFL – like so many expected. 

After playing out his five-year rookie contract in Tampa – which included its fair share of highs and lows (Howard tore his Achilles in 2020) – Jason Licht and co. chose not to retain his services. 

As a free agent for the first time in his NFL career, Howard signed with the Buffalo Bills earlier this offseason. It was a $3.5M deal, with over $3M guaranteed. 

So when Bills' GM, Brandon Beane, decided to cut bait with Howard earlier today, it became clear that he and his staff had come to the conclusion that they would rather eat $3.195M than have O.J. Howard occupy one of the team's 53 roster spots. 

It's been a steep decline for Howard since he suffered that torn Achilles less than two years ago. Many believed he could find success in Buffalo, where he would play alongside another competent tight end (Dawson Knox), without having the same pressure to succeed that he experienced during his time in Tampa.

Surely, some optimistic Bucs fans – the ones who haven't been able to let go of the tantalizing potential that O.J. Howard once possessed – will suggest that the Buccaneers should consider bringing him back. 

My belief, however, is that the Buccaneers' staff is extremely pleased with the progress within their current tight end room – especially the two rookies (Cade Otton and Ko Kieft) – even after Rob Gronkowski's retirement. 

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As a result, I don't expect the Bucs to entertain bringing O.J. Howard back to Tampa Bay. But if there's one thing I know for sure, it's that you can never say never in this league. 

For more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, make sure to follow Collin Haalboom on Twitter, and subscribe to the Bucs Banter Podcast on YouTube! 

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Collin Haalboom
COLLIN HAALBOOM

Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.