Xavien

Howard

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.

The Dolphins injury report is lengthy, with several defensive players listed. In addition to Howard missing practice with a hip injury, CB Jalen Ramsey was listed as limited due to vet rest and CB Cam Smith (hamstring) and S Jevon Holland (knee) were also limited in practice. The Dolphins DBs have time to heal before a Week 16 game against the Cowboys, though Howard has more of an uphill climb than the others.

Howard suffered the injury in Week 14 and missed Wednesday’s practice but was back on the field for the following two sessions. He looks likely to play in Week 15, as does safety Jevon Holland, who practiced in some capacity throughout the week before being listed as questionable. Fellow safety DeShon Elliott is out because of a concussion.