Buccaneers should consider moving O.J. Howard to wide receiver
By Cory Hays
Through six games, Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard has not done much in Bruce Arians’ offense. Would a move to wide receiver change make a difference?
So far this season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have not used tight end O.J. Howard very much. Through six games, Howard has been targeted 18 times and has caught 13 of those targets for 176 yards and has yet to find the endzone.
In comparison, fellow Buccaneer tight end Cameron Brate has been targeted 15 times and has caught 12 of those targets for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Bruce Arians’ offense does not utilize the tight end position like Dirk Koetter’s offense did, and Howard’s usage and production is suffering as a result.
How can the Bucs get some more production from Howard? It’s very simple: move O.J. to wide receiver.
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It’s not a secret that the Buccaneers are lacking a third wide receiver behind the number one receiver in the NFL Chris Godwin and his counterpart Mike Evans. The pewter and red signed Breshad Perriman this offseason to try and give the team a speedster receiver to replace DeSean Jackson, but he only has three receptions for 16 yards on the season.
Rookie wide receiver Scotty Miller and second year pro Justin Watson are not cutting it on the field either for the pewter and red. Miller has three receptions for 39 yards, all of which came last week against the Carolina Panthers, and Watson has one reception for 13 yards.
The Bucs need a WR3 and O.J. Howard can be that man.
O.J. Howard is a receiver in a tight end’s body, standing at 6-6 and 250 pounds. Howard ran a 4.51 40 yard dash coming out of Alabama as well; his break away speed is a big advantage for him as he is a mismatch for anybody who tries to line up across from him.
Next. 3 bye week changes Tampa Bay Buccaneers should make. dark
Before Howard’s injury last season, he was well on his way to the Pro Bowl with 34 receptions for 565 yards and five scores. If Howard makes the move to receiver, he could once again produce in the Buccaneers offense alongside Godwin and Evans.