3 teams that should sign Xavien Howard once Dolphins release becomes official

1. Houston Texans

The Houston Texans have a natural competitive edge in the Howard sweepstakes – he was born in Houston.

Considering the hometown connection, ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime has reported that Howard “has interest” in joining the Texans in light of the Dolphins’ plans to move on from the veteran cornerback. Typically, when there’s smoke, there is also fire.

Not only is a potential homecoming a strong selling point but there is a need for Howard on a Texans defense that did not fare well against the pass last season.

69.39 percent of the yardage Houston’s defensive unit gave up in 2023 were passing yards, the seventh-highest rate in the NFL. Moreover, the Texans ranked 30th in opponent completion percentage (68.25) and 26th in opponent yards per pass attempt (6.9).

Other than ascending cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., the Texans’ cornerback room leaves much to be desired. Howard’s presence would provide an instant boost to a team that shocked many by reaching the playoffs last season and is very quickly on the rise with a transcendent young quarterback under center.

The Texans won’t be the only suitors vying for Howard’s services, but offering him a starting role and homecoming to join a team that has a chance to make noise in the AFC for years to come should put them in the driver’s seat.