The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made quite a splash by trading for tight end Rob Gronkowski. His arrival has only raised further speculation regarding the uncertain future of tight end OJ Howard.
Howard had already been involved in trade talks long before Gronkowski's arrival. According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, there is currently no deal in place for him leading up to the 2020 NFL Draft:
Buccaneers now are poised to have three notable tight ends – Rob Gronkowski, OJ Howard and Cameron Brate – on their roster.
Two days before the draft, they do not have any pending trade for Howard.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 21, 2020
Although the Buccaneers may not have a deal for Howard now, that could very well change in the coming days. After all, the Bucs were quickly able to justify the rumors about the trade for Gronkowski after parting ways with a fourth-rounder in order to acquire him and a seventh-round pick from the New England Patriots. Teams could already be in the process of re-examining a potential deal on draft day.
For now, Tampa Bay has a surplus of talent in the tight end group with Gronkowski, Howard and Cameron Brate. Brate has largely served as the go-to option in run situations and boasts some upside as a big target in short-yardage situations. Meanwhile, Howard had emerged as one of the more talented receiving tight ends in the league until he was relegated to a non-existent role in the 2019 campaign.
Gronkowski's prowess as a complete tight end gives the Bucs some flexibility, however, it is safe to assume they will do what they can to keep him healthy by letting Brate continue to shoulder run-blocking duties. More importantly, he is still in the midst of a six-year, $40.8 million deal he signed back in 2018, while Howard is entering the final year oof his rookie deal.
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