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Austin Hooper and four other Packers trade targets for 2019

By Christian Borman

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - SEPTEMBER 22: Austin Hooper #81 of the Atlanta Falcons runs the ball after a catch during the third quarter in the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - SEPTEMBER 22: Austin Hooper #81 of the Atlanta Falcons runs the ball after a catch during the third quarter in the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 13: O.J. Howard of Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs with the ball during the NFL game between Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 13, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 13: O.J. Howard of Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs with the ball during the NFL game between Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 13, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) /

2. Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard

If the Packers truly are happy with their receivers, there is another avenue to take that could help this offense become even more explosive. This offense under Matt LaFleur uses the tight end position a lot more than Mike McCarthy did. Jimmy Graham has been playing decent as of late but is still nowhere near what he used to be. It’s rare that he breaks tackles, he won’t outrun anybody, and he just can’t block.

O.J. Howard makes a lot of sense in this offense. He’s an athletic tight end who is on a sinking ship in Tampa Bay. It feels like he is being ignored by the Buccaneers, which blows my mind. He has just 13 catches for 176 yards and no touchdowns.

He’s still on his rookie contract, but he has gone onto the IR the past two seasons, so injuries may be a bit of a concern. Between the injury history and his lack of use in Tampa Bay, the Packers may be able to get him a little cheaper than other potential offensive weapons.

Potentially pairing him with Jace Sternberger and Robert Tonyan in the future could be a fun tight end group for LaFleur to play with. Being younger and more athletic than Jimmy Graham is now, I think Howard would be an instant upgrade at the tight end position, especially if he can block even a little bit.

One snag would be the Bucs’ willingness to trade him. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that the Patriots made an offer for Howard, but the Bucs declined the trade. The Bucs will most likely only sell high if they sell at all. It could be tough for the Packers to pull this one off.

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