The Dolphins didn’t want to trade cornerback Xavien Howard and they won’t have to trade him.
Howard requested a trade when he reported to training camp because the team had rebuffed efforts to revise his contract. Howard indicated last Sunday that he was still open to resolving things with the team and the two sides have come to an agreement.
According to multiple reports, Howard and the Dolphins agreed to a restructured contract. Howard’s agent David Canter posted a tweet thanking the Dolphins for “doing something unexpected and difficult” with “absolute class and professionalism.”
The new deal bumps his guaranteed compensation in 2021 from $12.075 million to over $12.785 million and adds incentives that could push his payout to more than $16.285 million.
Howard’s 2022 compensation of $12.975 million has also been guaranteed against injury and will become fully guaranteed on the first day of the next league year. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports that the Dolphins have also given Howard assurances that they’ll revisit the deal early in 2022 to bring it in line with the market should Howard be both healthy and productive this season.
Howard’s been out of practice for most of camp with an ankle injury. We’ll likely find out soon if the contractual change gets him back up and running.
