Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard will be available to sign, and the Indianapolis Colts should strongly consider bringing him aboard.
It has been reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo that the Miami Dolphins will release former four-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro cornerback Xavien Howard. This development means Howard will be a free agent at the beginning of the league year.
Garofolo posted on X: “The #Dolphins have informed CB Xavien Howard he will be released at the start of the league year, sources tell me and @PSchrags. The four-time Pro Bowl selection is expected to have significant interest on the market.”
With the Indianapolis Colts possessing a talented but inexperienced secondary, they must act to get Howard. Here are three reasons why the ink should hit the paper on a contract.
The NFL is a “what have you done for me lately?” type of league. Howard is coming off of a down season by his standards. In 2023, he compiled 45 tackles, 12 passes defended, and an interception for the Dolphins.
However, his Pro Football Focus defensive metrics tell a deeper story. Howard posted a mediocre 51.9 coverage grade in 475 coverage snaps, which was the second-most to cornerback Kader Kohou.
While Howard didn’t look his best in 2023, it’s undeniable to forget what he’s done in previous seasons. Drafted in 2016 in the second round of the NFL Draft out of Baylor, he immediately hit the ground running and didn’t look back for seven straight campaigns. So far, he’s notched four Pro Bowls and two All-Pro nominations (first and second-team).
In 2018 and 2020, he combined for an insane 17 interceptions, which led the league in both years. Along with that, he’s shown incredible ability to knock away passes at the right time, posting 95 total passes defended over eight seasons, along with 12 in 2023.
If the Colts were to take Howard, they wouldn’t be doing so expecting him to take a dip in the Fountain of Youth (30 years old). They’d sign him knowing he can still play solid defense and can help a developing secondary with a mind that knows how to succeed as a cornerback.
