Cornerback Xavien Howard was reportedly told by the Miami Dolphins on Friday that he would be released at the beginning of the league year (Twitter users Mike Garafolo and Peter Schrager concur).
This may come as a surprise to some, given Howard’s background, but the Dolphins had to make this move in order to stay under the newly raised cap ceiling for 2024.
Howard is 30 years old and entering his ninth season as a professional. He had a disappointing season compared to his usual standards, but he is a four-time Pro Bowler and is sure to be highly sought after by teams throughout the league.
With so many injuries and subpar play from their outside corners in 2023, the Detroit Lions could be one among those teams looking to add a cornerback this upcoming summer.
How about this one for today’s QOTD?
Could Xavien Howard be an option for the Lions to sign?
“Only if the price is right,” is my response.
It is always concerning to watch a top player in his position aging and showing signs of regression. No matter how bad Howard is, he’d still be a huge improvement over the Lions’ present outside corner.
Unlike in the past, Howard isn’t able to set up plays. His career high for interceptions was 27, but he has only managed two in the last two years. Even so, he has done an admiral job catching passes, and for the past four seasons in a row, he has deflected 12 or more passes.
The concept of the Lions drafting a veteran cornerback like Howard and then doubling down on their cornerback development during the NFL Draft is appealing to me. There must be logic to the funding.
