The Las Vegas Raiders released tight end OJ Howard on Tuesday, according to a tweet from Vegas Nation reporter Vincent Bonsignore.

“The @Raiders have released TE O.J. Howard,” Bonsignore wrote.

Howard, a former first-round pick out of Alabama, has played in 72 games and started in 56 since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers first selected him with the No. 19 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. The one-time Super Bowl champion played in 13 games and started in 10 for the Houston Texans last season, earning 145 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.

Article Continues Below
Related News
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) looks on during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Maxx Crosby’s brutally honest message will get Raiders fans hypedBenedetto Vitale ·
Raiders, Allegiant Stadium, question mark above
Las Vegas Raiders’ riskiest move in 2025 NFL offseasonAlex House ·
Jan 27, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll at press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images. Raiders extend punter.
Raiders lock up 2-time All-Pro with 4-year contract extensionMike Gianakos ·
Tom Brady looks on before the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Raiders rumors: Tom Brady interested in another football teamBenjamin Adducchio ·
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) celebrates after getting a sack against the Carolina Panthers during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium.
Raiders’ Maxx Crosby reveals he’s ‘100%’ after ankle surgeryJaren Kawada ·
Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek (left) and coach Pete Carroll at press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders’ single best move in 2025 NFL offseasonJordan Llanes ·

The Raiders signed Howard in March. The same month, they signed tight end Austin Hooper, a former third-round selection in the 2016 NFL Draft. Hooper played in 17 games and started in two for the Tennessee Titans in 2022 after spending two years with the Cleveland Browns and four with the Atlanta Falcons.

2023 second-round selection Michael Mayer and former Chicago Bears tight end Jesper Horsted make up some of the other tight end options under contract for the Raiders, according to sports contract and salaries website Spotrac. Mayer earned a spot on the Associated Press All-American Third Team after a 2022 season that saw him reach 809 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns in 12 games.

The Raiders' offense ended the 2022 season with a total of 4,182 passing yards, putting it at 11th in the NFL ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets, according to NFL.com. Their 28 passing touchdowns put them on par with the Dallas Cowboys. The Raiders signed quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to a three-year, $67.5 million contract in March, adding the two-time Super Bowl champion to a quarterback room that includes former New England Patriots quarterback Brian Hoyer and former Purdue Boilermakers signal-caller Aidan O'Connell.