O.J. Howard, Raiders Agree to Contract After Darren Waller Traded to Giants

The Las Vegas Raiders have found their replacement for Darren Waller, turning to a veteran tight end who had a rather disappointing 2022 season with the Houston Texans.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Raiders hosted veteran tight end O.J. Howard on a visit Monday, and the two sides later agreed to terms on a contract.

The Raiders announced the signing shortly after Rapoport's report:

The Raiders traded Waller to the New York Giants on March 14 in exchange for a third-round draft pick. The only tight ends currently on the Las Vegas Roster are Jesper Horsted and Cole Fotheringham.

Howard had a disappointing 2022 season with the Texans, catching 10 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games. However, it's possible the Raiders feel he can bounce back with a fresh start.

Prior to joining the Texans, Howard spent five seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which selected him in the first round of the 2017 draft out of Alabama.

The 28-year-old was solid in his first three seasons with the team from 2017-2019, catching 94 passes for 1,456 yards and 12 touchdowns in 38 games. His production dipped in 2020 and 2021 as he caught just 25 passes for 281 yards and three scores in 21 games.

Howard's dip in production during his final two seasons with the Buccaneers can likely be attributed to the addition of Rob Gronkowski, Tom Brady's long-time tight end with the New England Patriots.

If he signs with the Raiders, it's reasonable to believe Howard will get the most targets he has seen in three years as he'd likely serve as the team's top tight end, unless they add a player at the position through the draft, such as Dalton Kincaid, Darnell Washington or Michael Mayer.

The Raiders are going to look different on offense as a whole in 2023 following the release of veteran quarterback Derek Carr. Even if Howard doesn't join the team, there will be plenty of new faces for McDaniels to work with.