The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had talks with the Washington Redskins about trading tight end OJ Howard for standout offensive lineman Trent Williams according to an ESPN source. Those trade talks did end up falling through, but with the draft right around the corner, they could heat back up again.

With Rob Gronkowski now in the fold for the Buccaneers the trade rumors involving Howard are going to heat up even more. Even before Gronk was in the mix, there were rumors were swirling that Howard could be on the move.

Howard is under contract for one more season, but there is also a fifth-year option the team can pick up. Tampa Bay has until May 5 to decide if they want to pick up that option. If they can move him before that deadline, his new team would make the decision on what to do with the option.

There is always a chance the Buccaneers could decide to keep Howard and use him as another weapon for an already loaded offense.

The Buccaneers own the 14th overall pick, and depending on what they do with it could influence what they do with Howard. The Buccaneers desperately need offensive line help. If the top offensive lineman is gone by No. 14, the Buccaneers could go a different direction. They could reengage the Redskins hoping to get Williams or try to offer Howard to another team to get offensive line help in another manner.

These next few days are going to be crucial for the Bucs. Could it make the difference between being a Super Bowl contender in 2020?