“Can He Learn As Much Stuff As I Want To Do With Him?”
March 30th, 2019
This November play ended O.J. Howard’s season. Kudos to the JoeBucsFan.com photographer.
You want to know one of the things flowing through the mind of head coach Bucco Bruce Arians?
Of course you do.
Joe’s got one nugget that seems very telling.
Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio last week to Friend of Joe host Alex Marvez, Arians said his mind is busy when it comes to O.J. Howard. “Can he learn as much stuff as I want to do with him?” Arians asked rhetorically.
Quickly after saying that Arians added “with both of them,” meaning Cameron Brate as well.
Joe is assuming Arians initially only was talking about Howard, who of course has more layers to his game than Brate has in his. Plus, Howard is younger and Dirk Koetter really didn’t do test the limits of Howard’s potential.
If you missed it, the story linked here is Arians’ answer to Joe’s question about exploring exactly what Howard can do. Interesting stuff there.
Joe sees Howard as a massive X-factor for the 2019 season. First, can he stay healthy? Second, can he play outside and/or be a big-time deep threat down the seam?
March 30th, 2019 at 8:09 pm
Since 2010 mike Evans is the only first round pick that didn’t have injury issues early in their career. Howard was a wasted pick from the standpoint that he was wasting away and dirk didn’t do enough with him. Finally we don’t have an amateur running the show so when BA says he is thinking of ways to use him I actually believe it, not so sure about Brate he’s a standard tight end and if anything they need to teach him to block better
March 30th, 2019 at 8:20 pm
If this football stud can stay healthy for a whole season , then I believe Arians will do so much with him kinda like how Travis Kelsey is used in K.C that OJ will be top 5 in all TE categories ! We have seen glimpses when used under coach K but thoes glimpses were more like a tease because coach K was even overrated as an offencive coordinator . Deep seam passes , quick TE screen passes , lined up outside , lined up inside , lined up in the wr slot spot , fake blocks for the quick outs & turn it upfield..these are all the things Arians will be able to call up for OJ and he can also be a dangerous red zone target which is right where he can just basketball block out the defender .use his speed to get to a spot where jameis throws and box out the defender with his size and power ! BA See’s it ! I’m calling for 79 catches , 916 yards & 15 TD’S using him this way…
March 30th, 2019 at 8:25 pm
Pretty nasty injury. I hope his rehab is going well. Ugly picture.
March 30th, 2019 at 8:51 pm
Not there yet – I wouldn’t call Brate just another standard tight end. Didn’t he lead the NFL in TD catches 2 years ago ? Not too shabby with 64 tight ends out there.
March 30th, 2019 at 9:15 pm
30 point offense. All the defense you need.
March 30th, 2019 at 9:36 pm
Joe, quite a few of our current players ended the 2018 season either on IR (like OJ) or hurting (like Brate). Guys like Jack Cichy, Evan Smith, Justin Evans, VHIII, Kevin Minter, Stevie T, Shaun Wilson come to mind. Since they’re all still on the roster, have they finished their rehab and been declared 100%?
March 30th, 2019 at 9:52 pm
Big Mac attack, I’m pretty sure he is good. I saw a video of him the other day doing agility drills full speed.
March 30th, 2019 at 9:55 pm
I hope he can stay healthy the whole season. We need a lot of shadow players to step up this season. All the JAG’s have an opportunity to showcase themselves and emerge as possible new stars for the Bucs. Adam and Cam are perfect examples of the next guy up. S.Wilson, Jones, Cichy, Watson, Spence, etc.. A lot of young talent that needs to step up their game this year and become starters if the Bucs are to be successful. Especially on the defense.
March 30th, 2019 at 10:11 pm
Hasn’t finished a season in the nfl yet…
This team is coming off of two straight 5-111 seasons… that’s hard to do.
Let’s win some games (maybe even a playoff game) before we start talking about how good everyone is.
Come to think of it, maybe you shouldn’t re-sign your 1st/2nd round draft picks if the team hasn’t played a playoff game since you drafted them.
Pretty sure we could go 5-11 w/o al the guys under massive contracts.
March 30th, 2019 at 10:17 pm
“This is why Hump wasnt needed to be resigned
BA likes his slot guys to be bigger in the short passing attack
OJ should be getting all of Humps targets and used ala Travis Kelce and Zach Ertz
Kobe Faker was the originator and only member of the #FreeOJStocker movement
OJ is the ultimate weapon and the offense should run thru him. too big for safeties to cover him and too fast for linebackers to run with him
JW rollout to the same side while OJ does a little out is indefensible in the redzone
*I swear If i wasnt busy trying out to be 1 of the tampa bay cheerleaders, Kobe should have tried out as offensive coordinator. I finished my 4th day of cheerleader tryout. The good news is that the huge wedgie from the short hot pants actually feels good now, however the head lady cheerleader said im hopeless. While I was bent over picking up my pom poms, i seen 1 of the new female coaches with the barbed wire tattoo blow me a kiss”
Kobe Faker
March 30th, 2019 at 10:23 pm
That’s one nasty photo. Could anyone get to 100% after that?
March 30th, 2019 at 10:50 pm
Joe,
Is it true that the Glazers didn’t give Chucky the HC job last year bc he wanted to build a team of bad-asses?
March 30th, 2019 at 11:31 pm
Kobefaker , you just basically reiterated what I posted above , well everything about OJ anyway , all that extra crap about wedgies and whatnot is all you my fellow bucs friend..lol
March 30th, 2019 at 11:54 pm
No idea.
March 31st, 2019 at 1:11 am
Whatinthebuchappend Says:
March 30th, 2019 at 8:20 pm
What you said here is music to my ears.
March 31st, 2019 at 4:52 am
If OJ plays 16 healthy games this is a top 10 offense at a minimum
March 31st, 2019 at 6:28 am
An offense should never run through one person,because Coaches like Belichek wii take that away. Might be why chiefs have a Tyreek Hill to provide options for
the offense and keep defenses guessing.
March 31st, 2019 at 8:51 am
That was Koetters buggest downfall besides hiring Mike Smith. Once he became a head coach he just wasnt willing to take many risks.with young players
March 31st, 2019 at 9:02 am
I think Bruce should use OJ like Atlanta uses Julio!
March 31st, 2019 at 3:19 pm
What did BA say, he watched every play and every practice, DK called some great plays for OJ, used them once them shelves them for another year. The tight ends were absent when Fitz was out there, The QB Whisperer loves al his weapons for Winston, he will send the TEs down field, that why JW has to put on that weight, because he will hold the ball longer but also he is going to let JW be on the move.