Howard-For-Williams “Fell Through”
April 22nd, 2020
Almost.
Juicy information this morning from Jenna Laine of ESPN about a trade that didn’t get done, lost in the wake of a trade that did get done.
A number of Bucs have been slamming their pints of Big Storm Brewing beers on the bar and hollering at their bartenders in frustration the Bucs won’t go out and trade for disgruntled Redskins left tackle Trent Williams.
Well, those same fans will be guzzling Tropic Pressure when reading the following.
It seems the Bucs and the Redskins nearly pulled off a deal to send Williams to the Bucs. In turn, the Bucs were going to ship out tight end O.J. Howard.
A source told ESPN that the Bucs nearly did trade Howard two months ago to the Washington Redskins in exchange for offensive tackle Trent Williams, but talks fell through. The Bucs have until May 5 to determine if they’ll pick up the fifth-year option on Howard’s contract for 2021.
Laine had no further details but Joe is going to try to connect some dots.
Joe has referenced several times Howard’s strange comments when interviewed just after Tom Brady signed. Howard stated that he planned to link up with Brady “within the next couple of months or so.” Shortly before that, Howard had mentioned while interviewed on SchlockCenter that he hadn’t communicated with any teammates about Brady signing with the Bucs.
Joe found all of this very strange, especially the part about having no sense of urgency to work out or even meet Brady.
Then add that Brady wanted phone numbers of all his teammates and Howard said Brady had not reached out to him (but he sure did call Chris Godwin), and you can just about smell the red tide-like stench from Clearwater Beach.
Perhaps Howard knew months ago the Bucs were trying to unload him and he figured, why knock himself out if he likely won’t be here much longer?
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:04 am
That trade would have really been something.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:11 am
Damn! Trent Williams is a good player/tackle
Jason Gump (Licht) needs to do something at the tackle position……hopefullt he drafts a tackle tomorrow night
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:11 am
Cap space is a real concern today. See Tampa Bay Times. Can’t afford any more large contracts. Barely enough left to cover new draft pics. Something must happen today to give some relief in this area.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:12 am
Bummer. It would have been nice to use pick #14 on anything else but a freaking offensive tackle. Oh well. At least we have three starting tight ends. In an offense that barely uses one.
SMFH…
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:13 am
Howard is a supreme athletic talent but a classic under achiever. Unlike college, in the Pro’s you can’t get by on talent alone. Unload him in the draft to make up for the pick we lost trading for Gronkowski. Say what you want about Arian’s system not making good use of his talent, but if this guy wanted to be a superstar it’s been there for the taking…Mr. Howard is coming up short because he’s lazy.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:14 am
@ casual
All the Bucs can do is restructure the contracts of Smith, Marpet, Jensen and Gholston.
All are overpaid IMO.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:15 am
Brate is the one I would trade….he’s making considerable more money, was a UDFA and Howard has another year on his rookie contract…..but we need to unload one of them.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:16 am
My confusion would be where Donavon Smith goes with T Williams here since Smith says he is not a RT….
Guessing we’d have to move him as well.
Maybe send D Smith + OJ Howard for T Williams. I’d do it straight up since they have to take Smith’s contract which swaps for Williams cap hit and nets us cap savings overall.
Then you still take a RT in R1 or R2 that can eventually be your LT behind Williams. Although some O-line can play till 35+ don’t count on it.
That’d be potential top 3-5 O-line.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:17 am
A trade will still happen at some point. It’s all but inevitable. Bye OJ.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:18 am
I am also OK with the idea of moving Howard to move up to like pick #8 and take Isaih Simmons.
Could still take a RT / RB next 2 rounds and then go front 7 depth + an OG rest of the way.
We’d be set at every level of the D, and on o-line, skill positions, QB. Weakest link would be pass rush depth / secondary depth but we’re now just talking depth….
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:20 am
Make no mistake .. this is the Brady offense coming to Tampa. Not two face.
Two face offense doesn’t include TE. Suddenly we trade for TE and carry 4 ?? Two face should retire and Todd Bowles should be HC and Tom Moore work with Brady.
This draft will be or should be nailed. Defense should be priority with first round.
Brate , O.J. One will be moved. Gronk. Auclair. Tanner will stay. Good blocking.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:23 am
joe if this is true – why even do the interviews with ESPN and him make him seem excited to work with brady. i see your point but dont understand why he would even have media availability talking about the bucs if he doesnt want to be here or expects to be traded.
last year it took a while for arians to reach out to our best player, mike evans, and we made a big deal about it.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:23 am
People keep crying about tight end usage with bruce arians. If you don’t think he is smart enough to adapt his offense to what TB12 & Gronk do best . YOUR A IDIOT
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:23 am
Look for patriots moving up and drafting Herbert or Simmons.
We do not have the need to move up. A great player will fall after other teams reach and move up.
Stay at 14.
Send a 4th for Trent.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:26 am
Wow … two face Arians along with leftwhich were so smart last year utilizing our TE. Both went to pro bowl
I guess just anybody can talk nonsense.
Bucs4Life Says:
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:23 am
People keep crying about tight end usage with bruce arians. If you don’t think he is smart enough to adapt his offense to what TB12 & Gronk do best . YOUR A IDIOT
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:27 am
Bucs4Life Says:
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:23 am
People keep crying about tight end usage with bruce arians. If you don’t think he is smart enough to adapt his offense to what TB12 & Gronk do best . YOUR A IDIOT
—————
*You’re
Sorry, had to be done.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:28 am
Actually, it should be “YOU’RE AN IDIOT.” LOL
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:28 am
If only jason gump had drafted dalvin cook when he should have instead of OJ; basically gump will have wasted #1 picks in 3 of last 5 drafts; how does he still have an NFL GM job?
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:29 am
Trent Williams wants 18 mil a year, this story is total BS.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:30 am
Who will win the Herbert sweepstake. Dolphins or patriots. ..
If we trade up were the dumbest team.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:30 am
Yeah, Bucs are bringing in Brady and Gronk to not throw the ball to the TE. Evans, Godwin and Gronk all go over 1k this season
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:32 am
Gronk. Oj. Leggett. Tanner. Brate. Auclair
6 TE. Something will shake.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:32 am
That would have been much better than the Gronk trade!
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:39 am
Licht needs to nail this draft. If reaching and winning super bowl is not reach it will be a disaster. Protect the drop.
The fall to the bottom at least won’t be as bad.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:40 am
I can’t see trading up either. Possibly trading down in rounds one and/or two.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:43 am
Ben The
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:48 am
Who cares what offense they run. I swear some of you need to get a grip move on and smile a little dam.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:48 am
MarineBuc
You havnt seen the offense yet. They will use tight ends I promise ya. From the looks of it the QB decides who gets the pass. This QB will decide to change up last year’s offense. No offense
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:49 am
We shouldnt be worried about cap space. We have plenty of guys that can restructure. Marpet, jensen, evans, david, all guys with no gauranteed money that can take paycuts for guarantees next year. And i believe as of now we still have 80 million on the books for the 2021 season. The saints do it every year.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:50 am
There is no way that this trade gets done without other picks involved. OJ’s worth is probably a low 4th, maybe even a 5th.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:54 am
You’d think Williams and his agent would help facilitate that trade from Wash. to the Bucs. I would think Williams would love to work with Brady knowing it’s his best chance to make post season. The Browns can’t offer those almost certain guarantees.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:56 am
Casual Observer Says
“Cap space is a real concern today. See Tampa Bay Times. Can’t afford any more large contracts. Barely enough left to cover new draft pics. Something must happen today to give some relief in this area.”
Teams have until the start of the season to get their cap under control, so the Bucs have time. The results of the draft could change things.
Not to mention working out a deal with Barrett would free up some space.
April 22nd, 2020 at 10:57 am
@ Darin
I know. I just would of rather seen a trade for Trent Williams rather than Gronk. I’m sure Brady will throw plenty of passes to the tight end group. It will be interesting to see which tight end gets traded. I doubt we keep all six we currently have.
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:00 am
It is not over ’till the fat lady sings….he in’t gonna play for the Redskins again…obviously the Redskins were wanting too much…things are different now
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:00 am
People forget about Lavante David. He’s due $10,750,000 in this, his last year. If the Bucs draft a replacement, they could release David and save all of the cash.
Or they could work out an extension with David to lower this year’s salary.
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:09 am
OJ Howard for Jamal Adams?
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:10 am
If the dumb ass coach didn’t use tight ends last year, why would he use them now?
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:13 am
@ Bonzai
Your right but I would hate to see L. David go anywhere else. He is still playing at a very high level. Hopefully he will restructure and stay with the Bucs a few more seasons.
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:14 am
So stoked to hear this news about getting Gronk and getting OJ outta here…….That guy just aren’t my kinda dude on a football field. Especially at the TE position…..It’s great to get these flashy plays from that spot……But a TE in mine opinion must have soft hands, must be able to make plays in traffic and must impose physicality. OJ just doesn’t do anything well that I look for in a TE.
And hey I know y’all will disagree but I don’t care. Luke Stocker is a better football player then OJ in my book.
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:18 am
Bonzai in the last week of the season David came up with a clutch forced fumble late in the game when the Falcons were driving.
Those are the kind of plays that can win you a big game. And that’s just one example of many. Point is…….Expect an extension if anything. Replacing David is a tall order and it’s really kinda foolish to think you can with a rookie.
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:20 am
Just a reminder of the old adage: don’t draft for need, pick the best player available. Now, it’s not a perfect rule by any means, but more often than not it works. If one of the top four OT’s is on the board at 14, and that player is at or near the top of our player rankings then by all means pull the trigger. But don’t reach, and please don’t pick a LT with the idea of switching Smith or the draftee to RT. How often has such a move failed vs. succeeded. Play the odds.
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:20 am
are you kidding Bonzai? L.David has waited his whole career to finally make the playoffs and you want to take that chance away from him. Jerk move
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:22 am
1-kinlaw ( suh gone after this year , no nassib , gholston last year )
2-Cesar Ruiz (Ryan Jensen trade or cut save $10M )
3- a. Davis
4. Ben Bartch.
5. J. Hightower.
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:23 am
Bye OJ
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:24 am
So what if Simmons drops? You guys trading up to snag him?
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:27 am
Ryan Jensen seems to have problems at times hiking ball. Won’t fly with Brady. See a Center being drafted.
Tyler biadasz or Cesar Ruiz. In the 2 nd.
We don’t draft OT.
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:30 am
Anyone noticing the new names posting that have never posted before ? Love the Gronk move and stop with the OJ trade rumors !!!! Brate is gone because how can you give up on a matchup nightmare like Howard, but Jenna doesn’t have the connections to the front like you think. These rumors are ridiculous and can’t wait to see Evans lined up with Gronk on the right side and OJ and Godwin on the left 🙂 good luck stopping that
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:31 am
76….The only problem with that is we are looking at the odds as Mel Kiper and the other pundits lays them out for us. Those odds may not reflect the Bucs odds. As I’ve heard they don’t have a “Big 4” OTs……It’s a “Big 5” for them……..it might even be 6.
And it’s the same as last year. If we played the odds our only choice was Allen since he was the only one left of the “Big 3″……..Well the Bucs had different odds and their Top Three did not match the mockers.
Maybe Allen would have been a good pick for us. But we did get White and I say we do e pretty good. He’s calling the defense and made multiple game winning plays for us. How many game winning plays did Allen make? Without knowing my wager would be zero.
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:32 am
still got time to pull it off….
OJ and the 7th we just got from the PATS…
im sure trent wouldnt mind playing RT for the GOAT….it’ll surely make d.smith step his game up…
GO BUCS!!!!
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:33 am
Obviously Howard knows the team has been trying to trade him.
Pretty weird to give up on a guy with that much potential after just 3 years (especially when he was getting better until Arians got here).
But hey wtfdik? I’m sure continuing to stock up old ex-Pat players who are past their prime will work our just great for us. I mean 4th round picks usually only play for 1 season anyways, right?
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:52 am
DON’T give up 😖 – ever!
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:54 am
Joe Knows
Joe, how do the Bucs free up money and go get the deal done?
April 22nd, 2020 at 12:18 pm
When you say Howard has “plenty of potential”, are you talking about potentially dropping passes, or fumbling in the red zone? That’s what we saw last year, along with someone who wasn’t interested in playing football.
What Jenna failed to mention is that Washington also asked for a 2nd Round pick, would be my guess.
April 22nd, 2020 at 12:29 pm
If anything, this story does tell us that the Bucs are willing to pay up for an upgrade at Tackle. Since it didn’t happen predraft you can pretty much assume we are going Tackle in this draft.
Who knows what their options look like at 14 but if we don’t go Tackle ya might wanna stay tuned to see if we trade back up and get one. As I remember we were wanting a certain Tackle in Round 2 last year and somebody traded up in front of us and took our guy. For sure the Bucs aren’t forgetting that and probably won’t let it happen again.
April 22nd, 2020 at 1:09 pm
revisit it and go get him now…
toss in something extra if need be…
howard seems to have grown sour in tampa…
toss in hargreaves off the street, and 3 pounds of sour grapes from datz deli
April 22nd, 2020 at 2:23 pm
It’s a mistake to get rid of OJ Howard. He may become Brady’s other favorite Tight End.
April 22nd, 2020 at 2:50 pm
They just change the hold offense for Brady but I thought Jamies was the problem not the offense? Why change the playbook when everybody said that any quarterback can win with these receivers .
April 22nd, 2020 at 3:44 pm
Trade porbably fell through when Licht got the cap numbers and spit his margarita out
April 22nd, 2020 at 5:14 pm
Trent > Gronk.
I’ve been pushing Donovan Smith and a day 3 pick for Trent for quite a while. I would be OJ with Donovan and OJ for Trent. However, any deal would require signing Trent to a long term deal at around $18-20M per year. That’s $4M more than we have now because we blew $10M (all of our remaining cap) on Gronk.
April 22nd, 2020 at 5:36 pm
Th Money is probably the reason this fell through. Trent Williams isnt getting that kind of coin. I feel we should keep OJ unless you can use him to get a proven top player that fills a need like S or OT, Adams and Williams.
April 22nd, 2020 at 5:46 pm
I call BS!! For the love of God, please let OJ have this year to loosen up because Gronk will make that happen and learn from one of the best (if not) the GOAT of TEs. If we trade him, we are morons, and with recent history, I don’t think we are. OJ could become the next Gronk in this scenario. I would bank on him with the 5th year option and renegotiate high priced deals to create the financial ability to keep this intact. That is where Light can put the cherry (love that word) on top of this whole thing. You can’t tell me that there aren’t players on this team willing to restructure to LET’S GO!!!
April 22nd, 2020 at 11:11 pm
Brate is a great TE. Howard should be, but isnt.
We have to find some GM, who bites on the “potential” hook.
If we can get a 2nd and a 4th- it would be robbery.
Meybe Dallas. Meybe Green bay( doubt it) , meybe Carolina
April 23rd, 2020 at 2:33 am
Damn, Trent would have been a nice pickup. Maybe Howard will fetch us a decent pick during the draft, or help us trade back into the end of the first round?
April 23rd, 2020 at 1:52 pm
Maybe OJ should try to be WR3. He might not make the team at TE based on his last years performance.
April 24th, 2020 at 8:09 am
Why not trade Howard & Brate. Just think about it, before Gronk the Bucs were willing to trade Howard leaving Brate, Auclair & Hudson as there TE’s. Now that they got Gronk that also makes Brate expenable, since that leaves them with Gronk, Auclair & Hudson. So in that scenerio that leaves them with Gronk replacing Brate.