OJ Howard, Bills Reportedly Agree to 1-Year Contract After 5 Seasons with Buccaneers | Bleacher Report

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Veteran tight end O.J. Howard and the Buffalo Bills have agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $3.5 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

News of the deal came shortly after NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the Bills will sign Von Miller to a six-year, $120 million deal.

Joining Buffalo will represent a fresh start for Howard, who has struggled to live up to the hype after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him with the 19th overall pick in the 2017 draft.

Howard didn’t finish with monster numbers (114 receptions, 1,726 yards, seven touchdowns) in four years at Alabama, but his potential was obvious as he prepared to take the next step in his career. He ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and possesses the kind of frame (6’6″, 251 pounds) to pose matchup nightmares.

The theoretical value of Howard has outpaced his actual value in the NFL, though. He also suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in 2020 that ended his season after four games.

Prior to the injury, the 26-year-old had shown flashes. He was especially effective in 2018, finishing with 34 receptions for 565 yards and five touchdowns in only 10 appearances. Still, the former Crimson Tide star had yet to establish himself as an elite tight end.

Now, the Achilles rupture could prohibit him from ever reaching that level in the years ahead. His 2021 production (14 receptions for 135 yards and one touchdown) wasn’t promising.

Richard Sherman made a successful recovery from the same injury, but he was already a three-time All-Pro before getting hurt in 2017. Dez Bryant hasn’t been so lucky, though he was three years older than Howard at the time of his Achilles tear.

Because Howard’s athleticism helps set him apart from others at his position, it’s fair to wonder how effective he can be if he’s a step or two slower upon returning to the field.