Should the Redskins trade for Buccaneers TE O.J. Howard?

There may be an opportunity to add a talented tight end approaching, but should the Redskins take it, or hold out for better value?

Dwayne Haskins’ reliance on tight ends down the stretch last season put a spotlight on the Washington Redskins‘ dearth of talent at the position. With Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis both sidelined with injuries for much of the year, Jeremy Sprinkle was often the top tight end option, and he failed to capitalize on his heightened role.

The Redskins did some work to fill in their tight end room with depth players, but proven utility is severely lacking in that department. Hale Hentges showed flashes in limited action last year, but he’s a limited athlete who might not be capable of taking advantage of a larger workload. Caleb Wilson has the athletic upside, but not the flashes on record to compensate, and Richard Rodgers and Logan Wilson, while intriguing, are nothing more than veteran security until proven otherwise.

The Redskins still need starting talent at tight end, and for most of the offseason, it’s been a predetermined conclusion that the Redskins will fill that void in the 2020 NFL Draft. But could they end up dealing for one instead? According to Rotoworld Football, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are shopping tight end O.J. Howard, and it would make sense for the Redskins to have some measured interest.

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Howard, who turns 26 years old in November, was the 19th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Despite his first-round pedigree, he’s failed to establish himself as a top talent at tight end. His best year with the Buccaneers came in 2018, when he logged 34 catches, 565 yards, and five scores in just ten games. In 2019, he failed to match that total, despite playing in four more contests.

Despite his lack of production, Howard is an intriguing trade candidate. Given that he’s now officially on the trade block, the Buccaneers clearly have a desire to get a deal done, and thus, their leverage has taken a small hit. Still, Howard should have enough of a market to drive his value, given his athletic traits.

Howard is 6-foot-6, 251, and at the 2017 NFL Combine, he ran a 4.51 40-yard dash, as well as jumped over ten feet in the broad jump. He’s not as impressive with vertical athleticism, with just a 30-inch vertical jump on record, but his selling point is still his receiving upside, and that’s what the Redskins need out of a tight end.

Interestingly enough, the offseason he took the job as the Panthers’ head coach, Ron Rivera traded for tight end Greg Olsen, and Olsen’s numbers were similar to Howard’s; Olsen was 26 years old at the time, and is 6-foot-5, 255, with 4.51 speed. Olsen was a better vertical athlete, but his profile and Howard’s are similar. Of course, Olsen already had multiple 50-plus reception seasons at that point, and Howard has none to boast.

With his traits, and with him still being only 25 years old, Howard offers something, in terms of value. But the Redskins don’t have a great deal of draft capital as it is, and while a trade for Howard likely won’t force them to give up an early pick, a fourth-rounder plus change could be too much for a rebuilding team to give up, for a player who hasn’t proven himself to be consistent.

Another side of this, however, is the issue of relative value. Would you rather have Cole Kmet or Adam Trautman at pick No. 66, or Howard for a fourth-round pick and something extra? The answer would have to be Howard, as Howard at least has a proven baseline, as well as the athletic talent to sell Ron Rivera and company on his lingering developmental potential.

As it so happens with all trade situations, it has to be acknowledged that, on paper, there is a scenario where Trent Williams gets shipped off to Tampa Bay in a deal for Howard, as the Buccaneers have an immediate need at offensive tackle. But, as it so happens with all trade situations, Williams’ contract demands make that scenario wishful thinking, and nothing more.

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Thus, it appears as though the Redskins have a trade idea to mull over, at the very least. Howard is available, and he offers youth and athletic upside. But his acquisition would come at the cost of draft capital. Is it a risk worth taking, for a team that needs not just offensive talent, but talent everywhere? I’m on the fence. What do you guys think?

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