Tag: Xavien Howard

CB Xavien Howard shuts door on return to Dolphins

Dolphins CB says he’s not coming back after release.

The Miami Dolphins are set to release cornerback Xavien Howard as a post-June 1 cut, which will save the team $18.5 million in 2024.

At the annual NFL Scouting Combine, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier told reporters that the door wasn’t closed for a reunion between the two sides later in the offseason. However, speaking on “The Joe Rose Show” on Tuesday, the cornerback wasn’t quite on the same page as Grier.

“That door is closed,” Howard said. He went on to say that he’s looking to win and join a team that’s capable of making a playoff run in 2024.

Howard’s words aren’t too surprising, as the two sides have had contentious contract negotiations for the last few years, and with this move being to save money, it was tough to imagine that the former Baylor Bear would be willing to return to South Florida for a pay cut.

Instead, Howard will finish his Dolphins career tied for the fourth-most interceptions in team history (29) alongside Glenn Blackwood and Patrick Surtain.

17 newly released NFL free agents who may interest the Seahawks

There are at least 17 who might interest Seattle.

The Seattle Seahawks aren’t the only team in the NFL that’s been busy cutting players this week. So far Seattle has released safeties Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams, plus tight end Will Dissly and nose tackle Bryan Mone. Meanwhile, several other teams around the league have taken a slash and burn approach to the week before free agency as well, releasing some very interesting players onto the open market.

The group includes a pair of strong edge rushers, some brilliant cover corners, a few proven offensive linemen and a handful of high-upside tight ends. All together, there are at least 17 new free agents who might interest Seattle. Here’s the full list.

Seahawks fans react to Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs and Will Dissly getting cut

Dolphins on the path to 2024 salary cap compliance

A path for Miami to get cap compliant by the start of the league year.

The Miami Dolphins are officially in salary cap-cutting mode heading into next week’s free agency and trading opening around the league.

Miami has made several business decisions this week, most notably deciding not to franchise tag defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, which will allow him to hit the open market in free agency

In addition to passing on putting the tag on the league’s leading tackler among all defensive tackles since 2019, general manager Chris Grier and the Dolphins have parted with linebacker Jerome Baker.

There were reported attempts to renegotiate his contract, but Baker was ultimately released. While there could be a window in a few months to bring him back on a discounted deal, this move was inevitable for the Dolphins to get cap-compliant next week.

Baker’s release frees up roughly $9.8 million in salary cap 2024 for the Dolphins and comes with a dead cap of $4.9 million. The team also saved $2.9 million for 2024 by releasing defensive back and special teamer Keion Crossen.

Miami enters Wednesday, March 6, over the 2024 salary cap by $18.83 million. In exactly a week, at 4:00 p.m. ET, teams must be under the cap, and while that negative $18.8 million may seem daunting, there are several paths to getting into the black here.

Remember, this number doesn’t include the roughly $18 million that Miami will recoup post-June 1 from the Xavien Howard release. Of course, that money will be aimed at paying the rookie draft class, the second wave of free agency, any potential holdovers of potential re-signings of unrestricted free agents, or even a person like Baker.

Getting cap compliant can come from several combinations, and while restructuring contracts does kick the can down the road a bit, strategic reworkings of contracts for specific players could give Grier the keys to unlock what would be needed to retain and even bring in the proper talent.

With unrestricted free agents like Andrew Van Ginkel, Robert Hunt and Connor Williams joining Wilkins in this class, the Dolphins will have plenty of work to do in the next few days, even to give themselves the chips to sit in the middle of the table and offer some or even one of these players.

The easiest path to freeing money is via cuts, and there are about a half-dozen candidates for non-core players like a depth running back and backup linebacker, which can add several million back into Miami’s 2024 cap.

Restructuring veterans’ deals would be a more hazardous road with more work. Here are the players whose contracts could be restructured to help the Dolphins with their 2024 cap and upcoming free-agency efforts.

Wide receiver Tyreek Hill is contracted through 2026, and restructuring his contract would save approximately $12.54 million in the 2024 cap, per Over the Cap. This would kick that money down the line over those next two years of the contract by around $7 million each on those salary caps in 2025 and 2026.

Cornerback Jalen Ramsey has the easiest path to a near-instant compliance scenario. He’s set to have a potential 2024 restructure savings of $18.67 million, and according to Over the Cap, about $5-6 million in each of 2025 and 2026 would be added to those cap figures.

With these two contracts being the most fiscally beneficial for the Dolphins, another tricky option could be with linebacker Bradley Chubb. Regardless of saving around $14 million in potential 2024 savings on a restructure, moving money down the line on an injured player whose contract has an out next season may not be the most prudent move for Miami financially.

Another name to watch for potential easy restructuring is Zach Sieler, which could add around $5.5 million for 2024 while just placing about $3 million in 2025 and 2026.

Alec Ingold can work a quick restructure and save $1.7 million for 2024 without making a significant dent in the following years.

Lastly, the two longest-tenured Dolphins in Durham Smythe and Jason Sanders can restructure their contracts to free up $1.2 million and $1.9 million, respectively.

Miami has several paths to salary cap freedom and flexibility to do business when the free agency and trade markets open in a week. The question is, just how much business can they get away with, and how significant will that potential business be?

The action should continue this week. On March 11, teams can negotiate with their own unrestricted free agents, and just two days later, it’s open season for NFL moves around the league’s landscape.

Looking back at how Dolphins’ current stars performed at the NFL combine

A look back at how current Dolphins did during the combine.

The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine is taking place this week with players from colleges around the country displaying their strengths and weaknesses on the field and in the meeting rooms for teams to see.

In less than two months, all 32 teams, including the Miami Dolphins, will add young talent to their rosters in this year’s draft with many decision-makers taking a lot of information from the combine.

Before the event finishes, let’s look at how some of Miami’s current stars performed when they took part in the past.

Report: Dolphins CB Xavien Howard has interest in joining Texans

It sounds like Xavien Howard is interested in joining the Texans, if he’s released by the Dolphins.

The Houston Texans have uncertainty at cornerback entering the 2024 offseason. Veteran Steven Nelson is not under contract after a career season, and it’s left a huge hole across from breakout sophomore Derek Stingley Jr.

Before the NFL free agency period has even started, one potential replacement has already made his interest known: Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard.

NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reported Friday that Miami intends to release Howard. The former second-round pick is a four-time Pro Bowler and has led the NFL in interceptions twice, most recently in 2020 when he was a First-Team All-Pro. His play has dipped recently the past two seasons, and a major contract extension that he signed in 2022 has forced the Dolphins to move on from their former star as a cap casualty.

ESPN reporter DJ Bien-Aime shared Friday that Howard has expressed interest in joining the Texans, according to individuals close to him. Now, it’s up to general manager Nick Caserio and the Texans veteran scouting department to decide if the interest is mutual.

Howard would be a very reasonable plug-and-play corner opposite of Stingley who might come at a discounted price after his recent season. However, it’s unclear whether or not he would be a true upgrade from Nelson at this point or if he would even be a cheaper option considering how his name and past performance could increase demands.

At this point, this is still speculation. Miami has still not determined when they will release Howard, with many expecting it to happen at the start of the new league year on March 13. Whenever he is released, he will be free to sign with Houston or whatever team is interested

For fans searching for big name editions and further talent infusion to DeMeco Ryan’s defense, Howard be a welcome addition. He likely won’t be the last name interested in the up-start franchise looking to take the next steps towards true Super Bowl contention.

Should Rams consider signing Xavien Howard or Emmanuel Ogbah?

The Dolphins are releasing Xavien Howard and Emmanuel Ogbah, who each could fit with the Rams as free-agent signings

When looking at the Los Angeles Rams’ roster right now, it’s clear that cornerback and edge rusher are two of their biggest needs. Ahkello Witherspoon is a pending free agent and the Rams desperately need a better pass rusher to go along with Byron Young at outside linebacker.

It just so happens that the Miami Dolphins are releasing two players who could fit perfectly with the Rams as free agents. Miami is parting ways with cornerback Xavien Howard and edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah in what are strictly financial decisions in an attempt to clear cap space.

They’ll be available at the start of the new league year, giving the Rams an opportunity to fill two big holes before the draft. So should the Rams look into signing one (or both) of the Dolphins’ soon-to-be-released veterans? They’re both worth consideration.

Howard is the more intriguing player for Los Angeles. He’s a ball hawk in the secondary, recording a whopping 29 interceptions in eight NFL seasons. He only had one in each of the last two years, but he also had 12 passes defensed in each season, too.

There are some concerns about Howard’s play dropping off last season, missing four games in the process due to injury, but that shouldn’t be a huge worry for Los Angeles. After the news broke of Howard’s pending release, Jalen Ramsey cryptically tweeted about Vic Fangio not “utilizing our full skillset,” saying he “won’t ever forgive” him for it. That suggests he and Howard weren’t used properly in 2023.

The Rams play a ton of zone coverage, which fits Howard’s game well. He’s excellent at tracking the ball and keeping his eyes on the quarterback, allowing him to deflect passes or intercept them. In the Rams’ scheme, he’d be a natural fit.

As for Ogbah, he can still have an impact on defense. Though he only had 5.5 sacks in 15 games last season, he was used minimally by Miami. He played just 25% of the defensive snaps, which makes his 5.5 sacks much more impressive than they look on the surface. He has a respectable pass-rush grade of 63.6, recording 20 pressures in 172 pass-rush snaps.

He was excellent in his first two seasons with the Dolphins in 2020 and 2021, recording 127 total pressures and 18 sacks with 45 quarterback hits in those two years combined. At 6-foot-4 and 275 pounds, Ogbah fits the mold of what the Rams have looked for in edge rushers, seeking bigger defenders with good length on the outside.

There wouldn’t be any real concerns about him playing outside linebacker in their scheme despite him primarily lining up as a defensive end in Miami’s system. He’s someone the Rams should absolutely consider signing once he’s officially released, given their need for pass-rush help.

Could the Commanders be interested in a pair of recently released cornerbacks?

Two veteran cornerbacks were released on Friday. Could either help the Commanders in 2024?

Christmas came early for all 32 NFL teams Friday when the league revealed the 2024 salary cap would be $255.4 million — an increase of $30 million from 2023.

Not only does the higher cap give teams more cash to spend in free agency next month, but it also helps some of those teams needing to create cap space ahead of the new league year.

Some of those teams needing to clear began releasing players this week in preparation for free agency. One of the NFL’s top cornerbacks, Xavien Howard, was released by the Miami Dolphins Friday.

Howard, who will turn 31 in July, was slated to count over $25 million against Miami’s salary cap in 2024. He spent the first eight seasons of his NFL career with the Dolphins, is a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, and has led the NFL in interceptions twice.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Howard can still play. He will receive significant interest from around the NFL. Howard played in 13 games last season but scored the lowest grade of his career, according to Pro Football Focus (55.1).

The Washington Commanders need help at cornerback. Kendall Fuller is a free agent, and Emmanuel Forbes and Benjamin St-Juste struggled in 2023.

Does Howard make sense for Washington?

No, for multiple reasons. First, his age. While a different player than Fuller, Howard is almost two years older than Fuller. Also, he doesn’t offer the versatility that Fuller does. Fuller can play outside, in the slot, or at safety. The Commanders could bring Fuller back for what Howard would cost.

But there was another recently released cornerback who could help Washington.

The San Francisco 49ers released cornerback Isaiah Oliver on Friday. Oliver, 27, spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons before spending the 2023 season in San Francisco. New Washington head coach Dan Quinn in Atlanta drafted him. Oliver played for Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. in 2020.

The 6-foot-0, 210-pound Oliver isn’t Howard, but he could provide much-needed veteran depth and stability to the cornerback room. In addition to Quinn and Whitt, Commanders GM Adam Peters was San Francisco’s assistant GM last season. Also, new defensive line coach Darryl Tapp was with the 49ers last season, too.

Oliver would be a cheap addition to the secondary and wouldn’t make a dent in Washington’s NFL-leading salary cap space. Per PFF, he received a 67.6 grade in 2023.

The good news is there are enough voices in the organization to know if Oliver would be a worthwhile addition for 2024.

The Commanders will add to the cornerback room, likely through free agency and the draft. St-Juste and Forbes remain an integral part of Washington’s plans, but after last season, the Commanders shouldn’t count on either.

Matthew Judon pitches for four-time Pro Bowl CB to join Patriots

Matthew Judon didn’t waste time trying to recruit a former four-time Pro Bowl cornerback to New England

Matthew Judon is at it again.

The New England Patriots linebacker didn’t waste any time trying to recruit cornerback Xavien Howard, who is expected to be released by the Miami Dolphins at the start of the league year.

Howard, who turns 31 this year, is a free agent for the first time in his career, and he’ll have an opportunity to play outside of Miami. The Dolphins are already paying a soon-to-be 30-year-old cornerback a lot of money, and by moving on from Howard, they can save money and try to get younger in the defensive backfield.

Leave it to Judon to shoot his shot on behalf of the rebuilding Patriots immediately after hearing the news of Howard’s release.

Howard is sure to have plenty of suitors in free agency, but the thought of him playing across from Christian Gonzalez is fun to consider. Perhaps he’d be willing to do business with a division rival to get a crack at the Dolphins twice a year.

The Patriots have bigger holes to fill on their roster, but they’d surely do their due diligence and at least pick up the phone, right?

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Jalen Ramsey suggests Vic Fangio misused Dolphins’ CBs, Should Eagles be worried?

After Miami announced they were releasing Xavien Howard, Jalen Ramsey says he won’t forgive Vic Fangio for misusing the Dolphins cornerbacks

Vic Fangio brought his talents to Philadelphia, and Jalen Ramsey is among those in Miami who didn’t shed any tears about his departure.

During the Pro Bowl, Ramsey stated that he “wished Fangio well,” but his real feelings came out after it was revealed that the Dolphins would release star cornerback Xavien Howard.

After the release was reported, Ramsey took to social media to proclaim Howard as the “best cornerback in Dolphins history.”

Ramsey’s comments at the bottom of the post should be most concerning for the Eagles, as he suggested that someone failed to utilize the talents of two All-Pro caliber cornerbacks properly.

Last season, the Dolphins were 19th in the DVOA rankings.

Miami finished 10th in yards allowed (18th in 2022) and ninth in yards allowed per play (14th in 2022) with Fangio as defensive coordinator. The Dolphins also finished third in the NFL in sacks (56) and tied for eighth in forced turnovers (27).

The Eagles were No. 26 in yards and No. 30 in points allowed.

Ramsey’s comments could worry some Eagles fans, but Philadelphia’s last two defensive coordinators were Fangio disciples, and they likely misused Darius Slay and James Bradberry at times.

Fangio’s scheme implements some man-coverage principles and creates a lot of versatility in his defensive calls. His defense focuses on limiting explosive plays with heavy zone coverage and looks that give opposing offenses a chance to run the ball.

Fangio’s defenses don’t blitz a lot either, with the idea being to limit explosive passing plays, force teams to run the football, and then win with four pass rushers up front.

With Fangio now in Philadelphia, Ramsey and the Dolphins defenders should be pleased with Anthony Weaver and his defensive approach.

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Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey reacts to Xavien Howard release news

Jalen Ramsey reacts to Xavien Howard release and takes a shot at Vic Fangio.

The Miami Dolphins are reportedly releasing cornerback Xavien Howard after eight seasons with the team where he was one of the most productive players at his position.

After news broke, Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who the team traded for last offseason, shared his reaction on social media, which appeared to include a shot at their former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

Ramsey and Howard are clearly close friends, and that was evident when the two took in a Miami Heat game and toured the facility together after the trade was made last year.

Fangio, for the success that he did have in his lone season with the Dolphins, didn’t allow his cornerbacks to shadow the opponents’ top weapons, which hurt Miami down the stretch.