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The Bills were in need of some depth at the tight end position ahead of the 2022 NFL season.
With starting TE Dawson Knox putting up career numbers en route to a franchise record-setting performance this past year, the team looks to have their long-term solution at tight end for years to come. But behind him, the roster is a bit thin at his position.
So on the back of a big news day that saw Buffalo add pass rusher Von Miller on defense, they took time to address offense as well, adding former Buccaneers 2017 first-round selection, TE O.J. Howard, on a one-year deal.
Here’s how Pro Football Focus graded the addition of Howard:
TE O.J. Howard: One year, $3.5 million (up to $5 million)
In brief stretches during his five seasons with the Buccaneers, Howard looked like the player they expected him to be when they made him their first-round selection in 2017, namely pre-injury in 2018 and 2020. But those stretches were much too few and far between. Howard averaged just over 0.1 wins above replacement per season over the course of his rookie deal.
He’ll now get an opportunity to stay healthy and put that behind him in Buffalo while competing for snaps with Dawson Knox. The Bills could look to get two tight ends — Howard and Knox — on the field more with the potential departures of Emmanuel Sanders and Cole Beasley.
Grade: Average
During the start of last year’s offseason, TE was considered a position of need for Buffalo. Knox had not yet taken the next step as he did in 2021, which lead to widespread speculation in the media that the team would add starting talent in free agency or the draft.
Previously, the team had been linked to other free agents such as former Giant Evan Ingram and Western New York native Rob Gronkowski. Instead, the team added Howard to cap off an eventful day.
The 27-year-old is a strong addition by Buffalo who gives QB Josh Allen another big target, the Bills depth at tight end behind Dawson Knox, and who could potentially create a similar TE tandem to the one that helped the Patriots dynasty for a number of years.
Per ESPN Stats & Information, the Bills ran two-or-more tight ends on an NFL-low 100 plays during the 2021 season.
Nonetheless, Knox became a go-to target and was tied for the most touchdown catches by a TE in the NFL last season. Running two-tight end sets on offense with big targets like Knox and Howard on the field could make it even more difficult for opposing defenses to contain the Buffalo offense.