3 teams that should sign Xavien Howard once Dolphins release becomes official
Xavien Howard should have an abundance of suitors once his release from the Miami Dolphins becomes official.
By Lior Lampert
It has been reported that the Miami Dolphins plan to move on from star cornerback Xavien Howard at the start of the league year, and once they do, he should garner plenty of interest on the open market.
Howard has been amongst the defensive backs in the NFL since entering the league in 2016 when he was drafted by the Dolphins in the second round, earning four Pro Bowl nods and All-Pro honors in 2020.
One man’s trash can be another man’s treasure, which may end up being the case for any team that lands Howard, even if he’s entering his age-31 season. When the release becomes official, these three teams should waste no time pursuing Howard.
3. Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts in head coach Shane Steichen’s first season in the newfound role, going 9-8 despite losing dynamic dual-threat rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson early in the season to a shoulder injury. However, their inexperience across the secondary was well documented.
Aside from Pro Bowl slot cornerback Kenny Moore, Indy depended on first and second-year players such as Jaylon Jones, Darrell Baker, and JuJu Brents to start along the outside, which resulted in them yielding 6.8 yards per pass attempt – 22nd in the NFL.
Xavien Howard would instantly slide in as a starter for the Colts and form an intriguing cornerback duo with Moore, adding a proven player with a pedigree into the mix. Indianapolis boasts a talented front seven led by defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and Zaire Franklin, they just need to patch up their secondary.
Assuming Richardson is healthy to begin 2024, especially considering his agent posted a video of him beginning to resume lightly throwing a football, the Colts have a chance to be legitimate playoff contenders next season.
If Howard has a desire to join a competitive team at this stage of his career, Indianapolis makes sense as a potential fit for his services, and their need for an injection of talent and experience in their cornerback room even further justifies the prospective transaction.