O'Brien with a chance to save the Hopkins deal

Photo Credit: Jeffrey S. King

By Lou Roesch
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (April 23, 2020)  The New England Patriots deal of tight end Rob Gronkowski to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers provides Houston Texans GM and head coach Bill O'Brien to  bring some sanity back to the palace on Kirby.

Just five weeks ago, O'Brien made what seemed to arguably be the dumbest trade in NFL history. Now the former New England Patriots coach is being given the opportunity to make all the naysayers eat their words. Maybe O'Brien had the scoop that Gronk was coming back and the Patriots would deal him to Tampa Bay. With all that now said and done as of a couple of hours ago, O'Brien has a phone call to make. "Hey Tampa Bay, heard you have a tight end by the name of OJ Howard available. Well we could use some juice here in Houston. How about I send you the 40th pick in the draft and a running back by the name of David Johnson." Not out of the realm of possibilities, is it?

You say hey wait we have Darren Fells and Jordan Atkins and Jordan Thomas and Kahale Waring. So what! None bring to the table what Howard does. At 6-6, 251lbs, he is the speedier and younger version of Gronkowski. Not to mention what he did at the combine that scouts still talk about four years later. He enters on the last year of his rookie contract with an option for another so Houston has time to play with the figures. Considering he has not played with a quarterback the caliber of DeShaun Watson, it's still interesting to note that one-third of his receptions have gone for 30 plus yards. In three years Howard has nearly as many receptions as Fells in six years (94 to 102), yardage 1456 in three seasons to Fells 1,171 and 12 TD's which topped Fells 10 in five years. What could he do in Houston with the magic of Watson? He could make fans forget D-Hop really quick. Play a double tight end as O'Brien is prone to do and Howard and Fells would be ridiculously productive.

David Johnson to the Bucs gives Brady his James White type back or put him in the slot as his Julian Edelman. The back-ups to starting back Ronald Jones II are nothing to write home about and if Johnson is healthy this is a win win for both sides. 

Bill.....OJ Howard  is like having a first round pick in 2020 and a veteran so no need to worry about him catching on. Make sure your phone is charged and make the call. Just don't wait till Thursday night or he won't be around.