Buffalo Bills solidify the depth at tight end by signing O.J. Howard
Last year, Dawson Knox emerged as one of the top tight ends in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills. After two inconsistent seasons, Knox was one of the key playmakers for this offense and finished the year tied for the league lead among tight ends in touchdowns with nine.
However, the Buffalo Bills also got a glimpse of what this offense looks like without Knox on the field after he suffered a broken hand against the Tennessee Titans. While Tommy Sweeney at times have played well, it was clear the Bills needed to find another tight end to not only backup Knox but also give the coaching staff the opportunity to run two-tight end sets.
Buffalo Bills add O.J. Howard as depth at the tight end position
The Buffalo Bills found that player and signed former first round pick O.J. Howard to a one-year deal, the team announced. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the deal is worth $3.5 million that could go up to $5 million.
Howard was the 19th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2017 but he never was able to make the impact that many thought he could. In his five seasons with the Bucs, Howard had 119 receptions, 1,737 receiving yards, and 15 receiving touchdowns.
One of the reasons that Howard hasn’t been able to make the impact that many thought he could was due to the fact that he has dealt with a number of injuries. Howard would miss 24 regular season games in his first four years in the league and this past season was the first time in his career that he played in every regular season game.
light. Must Read. Buffalo Bills sign Von Miller to a six-year contract
When Howard is on the field, he not only will give Josh Allen a good red zone target but also has developed into a quality run-blocking tight end. The Bills didn’t really have that last year after they traded Lee Smith prior to the season.