For the second straight summer, O.J. Howard has seen his spell with a new team come to an abrupt end. The veteran tight end is being released by the Raiders, as noted by Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Howard joined the Raiders in March, not long after the trade that sent Darren Waller to the Giants. The latter’s departure left a pass-catching role available for Howard, but his grip on a final roster spot was always a tenuous one. The former first-rounder underwhelmed in his five years with the Buccaneers, and his career has seen him bounce around the AFC since then.
Howard joined the Bills in 2022, but his struggles during training camp and the preseason left his roster spot in serious jeopardy. Buffalo made him one of their final cuts, marking a disappointing end to his Bills tenure after landing a $5M deal in free agency. He spent this past season with the Texans, making 10 receptions in 13 games, setting up his Raiders deal.
Vegas lost not only Waller but also Foster Moreau this offseason, despite the team’s efforts to retain the latter in free agency. Plenty of TE snaps are up for grabs this year, but instead of Howard the Raiders will look to their other options at the position. That includes second-round rookie Michael Mayer, who was one of the headliners of a celebrated tight class in this year’s draft. The Notre Dame product was already in line for a notable role with Howard in the fold, but the latter's release creates further opportunity for the rookie.
The Raiders also have free agent signing Austin Hooper and former UDFA Jesper Horsted available as depth options. The latter will again look to latch onto a roster late in the offseason as he tries to find a long-term home, while Vegas’ new-look offense will move forward with their efforts to sort out the TE pecking order.
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