“I Don’t Think O.J. Howard Is Here Next Year. I Really Don’t”
October 23rd, 2021
Former Bucs G Ian Beckles.
Just when it seems O.J. Howard is breaking out from the major setback he had with his blown Achilles early last season, a former Bucs guard thinks Howard will be playing elsewhere in 2022.
Ian Beckles took to his podcast “In the Trenches” and very early in the pod began talking about Howard. He’s not much of a fan, largely because Beckles adheres to the famous NFL axiom of Bill Parcells, “Your best ability is your availability.”
In other words, if you cannot get on the field you cannot help your team win.
A combination of that and Beckles generally underwhelmed by Howard’s play, led Beckles to say he thinks Howard is wearing a different uniform in 2022.
“You know why Gronk [Rob Gronkowski] is great?” Beckles asked. “Because when it’s two-on-one or one-on-one and you put the ball in the air, Gronk comes down with the ball. Can you say that about O.J. Howard? I have not seen it. Yet. And we’ve had him for a long time.
“You know, I don’t think O.J. Howard is here next year. I really don’t.”
In fact, Beckles said the tight end room could look very, very different.
“You know, Gronk is old,” Beckles began. “Cam Brate — we may have a whole new tight end room next year. That’s very, very possible.”
Another element of Howard’s game that rubs Beckles the wrong way is Howard only being open on misdirection plays in the back of the end zone when there is a busted coverage.
Joe isn’t sure it is fair to Howard. Joe has seen Howard win one-on-ones before.
Howard is in the final year of his rookie contract. As of today, Joe thinks Howard will return mainly because he won’t be a hot commodity in the open market. No one is going to throw George Kittle money at him. So Joe thinks the Bucs can get a bargain by keeping Howard. Of course, that means other teams can get a bargain, too.
Beckles later confessed he may be nitpicking Howard, but he said his standard of excellence for Howard is high because Howard was a 19th-overall pick.
Beckles on other Bucs subjects:
On Bucs running backs:
“Leonard Fournette is trying to make some money. RoJo is an afterthought. When Leonard Fournette gets the ball he is running ang-ree. Real angry. It’s like he’s trying to get paid and that is the best guy.
On Shaq Barrett:
“I thought Shaq Barrett was going after it [against the Eagles.]” Praised Shaq for getting Jalen Hurts off his spot a lot last week.
On the Bucs defense against the Eagles:
“It was domination.”
October 23rd, 2021 at 8:20 am
There are definitely some highlight catches out there – Denver before the injury last year comes to mind. So yes, you can say you’ve seen it, and he has done it. But I will agree that those moments are too few and far between.
October 23rd, 2021 at 8:34 am
Unless he is willing to work for peanuts I hope we let him walk…
October 23rd, 2021 at 8:36 am
Sometimes Beckles says stuff just to sound like a contrarian and an expert that knows mor ethan you do. He’s dead wrong here.
Brady likes OJ, as does Arians. OJ made some contested catches last week. Maybe Beckles was taking a dump during those plays.
October 23rd, 2021 at 8:36 am
It doesn’t matter what we think about OJ Howard…..or Beckles….or BA or Licht for that matter….It matters what Brady thinks…
If Tom Brady want’s OJ Howard on the team….he’ll be here.
October 23rd, 2021 at 8:48 am
Swampbuc I agree. As long as Brady’s here, Gronk & OJ will have opportunities to stay (whether they do or not depends on a lot of things me thinks). Same with Cam Brate. He’s comfortable with all 3 of them, and age 45 isn’t the time to be breaking in a new team of horses.
If Brady believes that we can win a Super Bowl next year with whatever team money allows us to field, he’ll stay. But if we get eaten alive by the salary CAP & he doesn’t think we’ll be competitive, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him retire. And Gronk along with him. And maybe AB also.
October 23rd, 2021 at 9:35 am
There is no way possible to predict OJ’s future at this point in the year. Too many variables in play now.
October 23rd, 2021 at 9:56 am
I know OJ won’t be earning the money he was prior
October 23rd, 2021 at 9:57 am
Spot on, Defense Rules.
October 23rd, 2021 at 10:14 am
Let’s see if O.J. can put together another good game and make it two in a row. With Gronk and AB out this week he should have some opportunities.
October 23rd, 2021 at 10:23 am
When its year 4 or 5 for a player you drafted in the top rounds…..and you still don’t know what you got, probably not going to stick around. We let Winston walk….a position way more valued in the NFL then a TE. Rojo will follow.
I like our commitment to winning right now, but Rojo and Howard could fetch us a few extra picks in future drafts. Not a fan of letting 1st and 2nd rd picks just walk when they have trade value and you know they aren’t coming back. We have several guys to resign….Godwin still wants an extension, Carlton Davis will be due a new contract, JPP will be a FA, Brown is on a 1 yr deal as is Fournette. We can’t keep everybody so the draft will be our best resource for replacements.
October 23rd, 2021 at 10:27 am
RoJo could.
October 23rd, 2021 at 10:49 am
Beckels is an ass. Saying the GOAT TE can do this but OJ can’t.
October 23rd, 2021 at 10:49 am
Beckles is usually wrong and just spates out at the mouth, he is also the guy who on radio said no dline player gets double teamed. OJ is just about year removed from torn Achilles and getting more reps every game and slowing getting targets. Love how radionheads keep putting age on players , take eye test when u see drop off than can start questioning. Gronk would be killing it if not for hit to ribs , it’s not like his body gave out on him. Remember beckles is a guy who has to remind everyone he even played in the league.
October 23rd, 2021 at 10:58 am
Who cares what this dude says? Lucky he has an AM microphone. Otherwise, forgettable player on forgettable teams.
October 23rd, 2021 at 11:02 am
LOL Did he actually say that? So he doesn’t watch Vita Vea? 🙂
October 23rd, 2021 at 2:09 pm
OJ Howard is far from great but on his worst day he is as effective as Beckles ever was. No OJ is not a dominant player but it rubs me wrong when players who established zero credibility in their career harshly critique others.
October 23rd, 2021 at 3:03 pm
Wow, what an amazing hot take… A guy who has underperformed, who will need a new contract that will likely pay at least $8m/year if he has anything close to a decent rest of the season, well a team with a tight cap won’t resign him. Or if he doesn’t have a good rest of the year, they won’t resign him.
God damn this guy is boring.
The legacy of radio in Tampa is amazing when you look it up, how many national stars started in this market. Now look at what we have. It’s pitiful, but I guess what should be expected in the last days of radio being a thing.
October 23rd, 2021 at 6:30 pm
No way OJ is worth $8M a year. His performance is average at best. Not his potential or his Tarzan physique or his track speed, but his actual performance on the field. Average at best.
October 23rd, 2021 at 6:42 pm
And water is wet.
October 23rd, 2021 at 7:19 pm
It’s a non-issue since OJ will get injured again before the season is over.
It’s a certainty.
October 23rd, 2021 at 7:31 pm
Dooosh: I’m sure that since you made it through an entire season of co-ed flag football without an injury that you think you’re tougher than OJ Howard, but I highly doubt it.
Oh, and your “Donovan Smith is not a top 32 rated Left Tackle on ANYBODY’s list” rant…The first video I went to, he was rated 19th. It was just that easy to prove how little credibility you have.
October 24th, 2021 at 7:57 am
Gronk maybe old but he is still our #1 TE. Don’t know if Howard can takeover his spot. Don’t even know is he’s #2.
October 24th, 2021 at 10:01 am
Gm/Coach/QB Brady will let oj know next spring if he’s needed.. LOL
I say give tom a stake in the team and let him do what he wants madden style!!!