NFL Trade Rumors: Bucs Want 'Substantial Offer' For Tight End O.J. Howard
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been reluctant to trade tight end O.J. Howard so far this season, but that may change with Tuesday's 4 p.m. trade deadline drawing closer.
But if any team wants to pry Howard from Tampa, it's going to cost them quite a bit. According to ESPN's Jenna Laine, it will take a "substantial offer" to acquire the tight end's services for the rest of the 2019 season. That "substantial offer" is likely a first-round pick, which the Bucs used on Howard in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Whether anyone is willing to pay Tampa's demands -- or if Tampa is willing to take a little bit less than something "substantial" -- could change over the next 24 hours. Multiple teams have reached out to the Bucs about Howard's availability, according to Laine.
One of those teams was reportedly the Patriots, who tried to acquire Howard earlier this season to no avail. The Patriots could use a boost at the position, with 38-year-old Benjamin Watson and Eric Tomlinson the only two healthy tight ends on the roster at the moment. Matt LaCosse (knee) and Ryan Izzo (concussion) have both missed New England's previous two games.
Like most players on their roster, Howard is having a down season for the Bucs. He's been targeted just 18 times in his six games, with 13 receptions for 176 yards and no touchdowns on the year. That's a big decline for Howard, who averaged 30 catches per season over his first two years in the league, finding the end zone 11 times in that span.
But despite their 2-5 record on the year, the Bucs seem reluctant to wave the white flag on Howard, whom they drafted 19th overall out of Alabama in 2017. It's an interesting approach, demanding a big bounty for a player they are saying is an integral part to their offense, but one that they haven't played in two weeks. We'll see how that pays off for them when the deadline hits.
The Patriots acquired wide receiver Mohamed Sanu last week to help bolster their offense, but are reportedly still looking to add another pass-catcher to Tom Brady's arsenal ahead of Tuesday's deadline.
