Green Bay Packers 3 free agency do-overs in the 2022 offseason

Green Bay Packers should have signed tight end OJ Howard

Perhaps I’m overrating OJ Howard a little bit, but I don’t really think so.

It still doesn’t make sense to me why he signed as a backup to Dawson Knox for just $3.5 million.

The former first-round pick out of Alabama was a big-play threat at the tight end position his first couple of years in the NFL, and his value understandably took a hit the last couple of seasons when he suffered some injuries.

The Bucs have obviously been using Rob Gronkowski a lot more in the last couple of seasons as well as Cameron Brate, and Howard’s departure in 2022 felt imminent.

Now, he’s joined the absolutely loaded Buffalo Bills roster where he will be a secondary option to Dawson Knox, who has really started coming on in recent years.

The Packers actually paid more money to Robert Tonyan, although not by a lot.

Even though Tonyan has experience in the Packers’ offense and familiarity with this coaching staff, this felt like an area where the Packers could have either doubled up or perhaps taken a shot on a talent like Howard.

Howard will be just 28 years old in November and still should have plenty of really good football ahead of him.

The Packers’ unwillingness to make bold moves at offensive skill positions could be their downfall in 2022. As effective as they have been at adding defensive pieces, Aaron Rodgers has a pretty average or worse supporting cast offensively.

And it could have been a lot better.