One of the biggest storylines for the Miami Dolphins over the last two months has been the status of All-Pro cornerback Xavien Howard — he skipped team activities during OTAs and even a mandatory mini-camp, hoping to indicate to the Dolphins that his displeasure around his current contract was something he would like amended. And now we have our answer:
According to the Miami Dolphins’ Twitter page, Xavien Howard is present and in the building for the start of 2021 training camp. The holdout is officially over.
Howard stood to be exposed to $50,000 a day in fines for a training camp holdout; and given that his entire objective is to maximize his earning potential, surrendering that kind of pay that quickly appeared to be enough for Howard to decide to arrive in Miami Gardens for the start of camp. Of course, this doesn’t resolve all of Howard’s issues and Miami could very well still be dealing with a disgruntled player who may press on with a request for a trade.
But that’s a bridge the Dolphins will cross as necessary. For now, knowing that Howard is present and accounted for as the team gears up for the coming season is a win for the Dolphins — because Howard is simply their best player as things currently stand.
The next step in diagnosing the situation between Howard and the Dolphins will be keeping an eye on his status when the team takes the field. Is Howard an active participant? If so, it would appear as though Howard has felt his point has been made but is conceding given the four years of contractual control Miami has left on his current contract.
But if Howard is to the side or riding the stationary bike, it could indicate that he’s looking to continue sending his message to the Dolphins that his current contract won’t do.