Xavien

Howard

The Colts placed CB Xavien Howard on the reserve/retired list after a subpar four game start from the 32-year-old veteran. Howard spent last season unsigned, but had an illustrious eight seasons with the Dolphins before. He made four Pro Bowls throughout his career, tallying 95 passes defended, 29 interceptions, and 342 combined tackles through nine seasons. Howard was once one of the best cornerbacks in the league, getting a first-team All-Pro selection in 2020. He ends his NFL career after attempting to jumpstart it with the Colts, but having made a significant impact to the Dolphins teams of the late 2010s and early 2020s.

Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Howard can earn up to $5 million on his deal. Howard has spent the entirety of his eight-year career with the Dolphins, but was released in March 2024. He remained unsigned throughout the year despite having interest in joining both the Texans and Bengals. The veteran corner will be 32 at the start of this season and earned a PFF coverage grade of 51.9 in his last season of action, allowing opposing receivers to go for 44-502-2 on 71 targets while playing on 475 coverage snaps. It’s hard to imagine this is anything more than a depth signing at this time, but Howard brings a wealth of experience to the Colts’ secondary and spent two years playing under defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.

The two sides could not see eye-to-eye on a contract and Howard did not sign. Howard, 31, was released by the Dolphins in March and did not sign with a team during training camp. The veteran corner struggled in coverage last season, earning a PFF coverage grade of 51.9 while allowing 44 receptions for 502 yards and two touchdowns. The Bengals were hoping Howard could provide a boost to a pass defense that’s allowing the 11th-most passing yards per game, but it’s hard to imagine him as anything more than added depth given his age and struggles in recent seasons.

This report comes shortly after it was announced the Dolphins would be releasing Howard at the start of the new league year. The veteran corner will be free to sign with any team and could be eyeing the up-and-coming Texans, who are fresh off a 10-7 season and appearance in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. Howard will be 31 at the start of next season and could make for a strong pairing with cornerback Derek Stingley, who totaled five interceptions last season while earning a PFF coverage grade of 85.3. As Bien-Aime notes in his report, Howard is from Houston, which could serve as a driving factor for him to join the Texans should an offer arise.

The Dolphins selected Howard in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. The soon-to-be 31-year-old corner has spent his entire career with the Dolphins, earning four Pro Bowl nods and one First-Team All-Pro nomination over that span. Injuries limited Howard to 13 games in 2023, and he managed just one interception while earning a PFF coverage grade of 51.9 — the lowest mark of his career. The ball-hawking corner has twice led the league in interceptions and should have a relatively strong market despite his age. The decision to cut Howard before June 1st will result in a dead cap hit of just over $21 million for the Dolphins.

Howard also missed Week 18 with the foot injury and has been unable to get on the field at all this week for practice. In addition to Howard being out, the Dolphins also ruled both safeties DeShon Elliott and Jevon Holland as questionable for the game. While that’s obviously better than being ruled out, neither player has been able to practice this week, which makes their status for Saturday night truly up in the air. As a result, the Dolphins could be without three of their four starters in the secondary while heading into Arrowhead to take on Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

That’s now the second straight DNP for Howard, who also missed Week 18 against the Bills. With safety Jevon Holland also not practicing for the second straight day, the Dolphins secondary is starting off the week looking a little banged up ahead of their showdown against the Chiefs. Given that the Dolphins have already suffered major losses to their pass rush with Bradley Chubb and Jaelen Phillips out of the season, injuries could play a big role in their wild card game against Patrick Mahomes and company.

Howard missed Week 18 with a hip injury, which is now labelled as a foot injury, stemming from Week 17. Head coach Mike McDaniel already mentioned on Monday that Howard is unlikely to play against the Chiefs on Saturday, and his DNP to start the week points towards Howard not playing. Jevon Holland (knees) and DeShon Elliott (calf) were also listed DNP amidst a banged-up secondary.

Miami will be without Howard and EDGE Bradley Chubb, who sustained a season-ending ACL injury last week against the Ravens. Howard and Chubb are major losses for the Dolphins defense as they prepare to face Josh Allen and the Bills in a must-win game.

McDaniel described Howard — who injured his hip in Week 17 — as week to week. Howard will avoid surgery but could be out until the postseason. It would be another significant loss for a Miami defense that lost Bradley Chubb to a knee injury in last week’s loss to Baltimore. Josh Allen and the Bills will go against a decidedly shorthanded Dolphins defense.