During a press conference to discuss his contract extension on Wednesday, Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard said it is “so exciting” that the Dolphins were able to bring back the key members of their 2021 defense for the 2022 season before turning his attention to the other side of the ball.
The Dolphins traded for wide receiver Tyreek Hill and signed players like Chase Edmonds, Cedrick Wilson, Terron Armstead, Connor Williams, and Raheem Mostert as free agents in a bid to spark more offensive production under new head coach Mike McDaniel. Howard said he told McDaniel he’s “got to get my hammies right” to practice against the unit because “we’ve got a lot of speed over there.”
Hill is responsible for a good bit of that speed and Howard said he thinks upcoming their practice sessions are going to benefit both players.
“I think we’ll get each other better. I played against him in college and also in the league. I just want to focus on getting each other better. That’s really it,” Howard said.
The Dolphins are betting that McDaniel and their offensive additions will lead to the kind of production they felt was lacking in recent seasons. If that’s the case and the defense can continue on the same path, the Dolphins should at least be in the mix for the playoffs in the AFC.
