O.J. Howard immersed himself in the Texans’ playbook, a crash course that involved a lot of studying.
The veteran tight end, signed to a one-year, $1.035 million contract after being cut by the Buffalo Bills at the end of the preseason, proved to be a fast learner
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A former Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round draft pick from Alabama, provided a receiving threat downfield in his debut with the Texans on Sunday at NRG Stadium.
During a 20-20 tie against the Indianapolis Colts, Howard scored both of the Texans’ touchdowns as he caught a pair of scoring passes from quarterback Davis Mills. They built a quick connection and chemistry as he scored on 16-yard and 22-yard passes on his only two targets of the game. That represented the Texans’ only touchdowns against the Colts.
“He came in really last week and got to work, put his head down, and I think he’s in a really good spot right now,” Mills said. “He made some big-time plays, and I think we have a ton of guys across the field that we can utilize in every situation. Having him as an addition is going to help a lot of that.”
Signed on Sept. 1 after being cut by the Bills during their final major roster cutdown to 53 players, Howard finished with 38 receiving yards. At 6-foot-6, 251 pounds, Howard represents an imposing target who has a knack for getting behind the defense.
“It was a good opportunity,” Howard said. “We kind of knew what they were going to run coverage-wise in the red zone. We knew we would be able to get them at the seams based on their game plan. It was a great play call and Davis found me open.
“Obviously, it feels good with everything that happened over the last couple of weeks and then to be able to come out and score the first game of the year a couple of touchdowns. It feels real good. "
Howard tore his Achilles two seasons ago with the Buccaneers. He was
O’Terrius Jabari ‘O.J.’ Howard has all the physical tools to play the tight end position. He earned a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers after winning a national championship at Alabama.
“You’re always trying to add good players, simple as that, and O.J. is a good player,” Texans coach Lovie Smith said. “A lot of talent. He’s excited about being here. Got a chance to see him on the practice field. That’s a spot we’ve talked an awful lot about, adding some depth to the tight end position. Being able to pick up a player like that late in the game like this, is pretty important.”
Howard lost ground behind Quintin Morris and Tommy Sweeney in Buffalo. He did score a touchdown in a win over the Denver Broncos, but it wasn’t enough to secure a roster spot on a squad headlined by Dawson Knox, their veteran starter. Howard caught 14 passes for 135 yards and one touchdown last season for the Buccaneers. He has 119 career receptions for 1,737 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Experiencing a tie was a new one for Howard as the Texans came away with a 20-20 tie after building a 20-3 lead before being outscored 17-0 in the fourth quarter.
“It’s the first time I ever dealt with one,” he said. “I just look at it like it’s better than a loss. We had some encouraging moments. We would have liked to finish better in the fourth quarter. It’s tough, especially against a division opponent. It’s a learning experience. Maybe we can grow from it and develop.”
Aaron Wilson is a Pro Football Network reporter and a contributor to KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.