Tag: Xavien Howard

Dolphins CB Xavien Howard dives into ‘The Fish Tank’

He shares stories from his baseball past, his old teammates and even talks about is upcoming charity softball event.

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The Miami Dolphins staple podcast “The Fish Tank,” had a current player dive in their show, which aired Friday morning in the team’s longest-tenured player – cornerback Xavien Howard.

Back in 2016, the Dolphins drafted Howard in the second round out of Baylor after trading up to select him. He’s been a Dolphins’ staple and current captain, and over his seven NFL seasons, he’s earned a trip to four Pro Bowls and was named an All-Pro after his 2020 season. That 2020 campaign saw him lead the NFL in interceptions, as well as pass defended.

Howard even tied the Dolphins’ single-season interceptions record in 2020 with 10, matching Dick Westmoreland’s mark from back in 1967. He tied another Miami record in that season, having gone five straight games with an interception, matching Westmoreland again.

The former Bear talked about his early days as a Dolphin, and prior to becoming a football sensation, he shared a humbling tale about why basketball wasn’t the road for him to travel down. Though he did say he mirrored his game after Derrick Rose, but, at 5-foot-11, he was advised by a coach that basketball may not be it for him.

Luckily for Howard and Miami, he listened to his coach and focused on football. Howard, who played wide receiver as a youth football player, talked about how that helped his ball-hawking style.

Reminiscing about his rookie year, he referenced a former Dolphins legend, safety Reshad Jones, who told Howard, “Just make plays on the ball,” as a young “X” was adjusting to the pros. There was even a fun reference to Dolphin sack sensation Cam Wake, who waited a bit until Howard proved himself before fully welcoming him to the team.

“The Fish Tank” hosts, Seth Levit and O.J. McDuffie, spoke with Howard about his sports life, with basketball being that initial goal, as well as his charitable efforts with his Make ‘Em Believe foundation. In addition, Howard will be hosting a South Florida charity softball game that’ll feature teammates Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Tua Tagovailoa and more. The game will take place this Saturday, June 17 at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.

In discussing the softball event with Levit and McDuffie, Howard mentioned that he’ll be roaming the outfield, utilizing his defensive back skills. When asked if Howard has the same baseball skills as his football and basketball prowess, the veteran cornerback replied honestly, “No, I don’t.”

The baseball talk gave McDuffie a chance to reminisce about his own diamond history, as the former Miami wide receiver was also a draftee of the then-California Angels. McDuffie and Levit rocked Fish Tank-themed baseball jerseys, much to the approval and delight of Howard, and a perfect segue to discussing the softball event.

Howard also mentioned that some of his Dolphin teammates will be entering this softball game going for nothing but the win.

“Tyreek going full speed,” Howard said. The cornerback says that Hill always is at that pace in everything he does. Howard did mention the teammate that he believes will hit a home run and another that he’s confident will strike out.

The cornerback went on to talk about the importance of doing an event like this.

“I thought it would be fun doing something for the community,” Howard said.

Going into more detail about the reasoning behind this event, Howard spoke more about the Make ‘Em Believe foundation, and the inception of that idea from a Dolphins business combine event from 2019.

Howard said that he’s always doing football events in his hometown in Houston, so he wanted to bring that locally to Miami and South Florida. Choosing a West Palm Beach location for the game, Howard wanted to reach fans both in and around the 305 area code, as the Dolphins base extends far beyond the Miami city limits.

The conversation shifted to 2023, and the hype around the current pod of Dolphins.

“This is going to be a special year,” Howard said. “You got to speak it into existence… We’re in a win now…”

There’s plenty more from this interview as Howard becomes the latest in an expanding list of current Dolphins to join Levit and McDuffie on “The Fish Tank.”

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Dolphins have two of PFF’s top-32 cornerbacks entering 2023

They’re actually both in the top 20.

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The Miami Dolphins have wrapped up their offseason training program, as rookie minicamp, organized team activities and mandatory minicamp are all in the rearview.

Now, there are a few weeks of downtime before Mike McDaniel’s squad meets again for training camp and joint practices starting in late July.

Until then, the NFL world doesn’t sleep. There will be plenty of transactions to keep everyone busy and entertained, and as always, there are discussions regarding where players rank among their peers.

Pro Football Focus has been ranking each position, and Sam Monson was responsible for handling the cornerbacks. The Dolphins had two cornerbacks make the top 32 – Jalen Ramsey (No. 2) and Xavien Howard (No. 17).

Here’s what Monson wrote about Ramsey and Howard:

“Ramsey has now had outstanding seasons playing in multiple different defenses and in multiple distinct roles. His versatility is peerless, and he is the best run defender at the position in the NFL. Within a Vic Fangio defense in Miami, we could well be in line for the best version of Jalen Ramsey in 2023, and it wouldn’t be a surprise at all for him to top the PFF cornerback grades this season.

Howard has been inconsistent in the NFL, but often year to year rather than within a season. 2022 was an ugly season for him, but the previous two had been far better. Even last year, he still notched 12 pass breakups to claw back some of the damage done by allowing six touchdowns and more than 800 yards in the regular season.”

The lone cornerback to appear above Ramsey on this list is New York Jets second-year stud Sauce Gardner.

Miami’s cornerback room is one of the deepest in the NFL, as behind the duo of Ramsey and Howard are some promising young players, including rookie Cam Smith and 2022 undrafted free agent Kader Kohou.

Kohou was a PFF standout last season, as he graded as their 36th-best cornerback despite jumping from a small collegiate program to the NFL where he was essentially the Dolphins’ starting cornerback opposite Howard for a big chunk of the season.

If Ramsey and Howard can remain healthy for the 2023 season opposing offensive coordinators will have some sleepless nights before their matchups with Miami.

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Former All-Pro CB says Dolphins have two of the NFL’s top 5 CBs

Two others were also in the AFC East.

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The Miami Dolphins did some work this offseason to improve their secondary, as they traded a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

The acquisition pairs Ramsey with another former All-Pro in Xavien Howard, who is coming off of one of his worst seasons since entering the NFL back in 2016. However, Howard did mention that he spent 2022 dealing with multiple groin injuries which could’ve hampered his play.

Miami’s cornerback duo appears to be one of the best in the league entering the 2023 season. In fact, former All-Pro cornerback Antonio Cromartie recently listed Ramsey and Howard as two of the league’s top-five cornerbacks.

Interestingly enough, two of his other picks were Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed of the New York Jets, meaning the AFC East would have four of his top picks at the position. That’s a lot of defensive talent on just two teams that will face each other twice a year.

If Howard and Ramsey are healthy for a full year, and coached by one of the most well-respected coordinators in the game in Vic Fangio, they should be among the NFL’s top units for 2023.

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Vic Fangio brings big changes to the Miami Dolphins’ defense

What will the Miami Dolphins’ defense look like under Vic Fangio? Here’s a detailed look, from fronts to coverages.

When you discuss modern defense in the NFL, you won’t get very far without discussing the “Fangio system,” i.e., the series of concepts installed by legendary defensive coach Vic Fangio over the last few years. The shorthand version of “Fangio” refers to light boxes, simulated pressures, and predominantly two-high coverages with an emphasis on quarter-quarter-half (Cover-6). It’s a system that has become all the rage in the NFL today, so it was not surprising that after a year off, in which he spent time studying tape in Florida and consulting with the Philadelphia Eagles, the man himself returned to the league as the Miami Dolphins’ defensive coordinator. Fangio was the head coach of the Denver Broncos from 2019 through 2021; he was fired after a 19-30 record and no playoff appearances, but Fangio ran a defense that ranked eighth in yards allowed and third in points allowed by the time he was done.

That’s aligned with his root philosophy.

“We’re in charge of not letting the other team score, and we will do anything and everything to do that,” Fangio said during his Miami introductory press conference on February 20, when asked about his overall defensive philosophy. “I’ve been places in the past where we pressured a lot. I’ve been places where we didn’t pressure very much. You’ve got to fit the scheme to the players that you have while also factoring in the opponents that you’re playing.

“So hopefully, we’ll be a team that will keep the points down, make it hard for teams to score a lot of points, and put our offense in position to score points for us. I’m not a buzzword guy as far as that goes other than we want to play good defense and what’s good defense? Keep them out of the end zone.”

The 2022 Dolphins ranked 15th in Defensive DVOA under defensive coordinator Josh Boyer; 25th against the pass, and fourth against the run. In recent years, the Dolphins had a very specific defensive DNA that was radically different than what Fangio is bringing in, so that’s the best place to start.

(All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus, Sports Info Solutions, and Football Outsiders unless otherwise indicated).

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ESPN analyst ranks Dolphins CB unit as best in the NFL

With two former All-Pros they had to be pretty close to the top.

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With the NFL offseason underway, and teams holding their minicamps and organized team activities, this is a big time for evaluations, not just by the team but by the media as well.

ESPN NFL analyst Mike Clay recently put together a ranking of all 32 cornerback units across the NFL, and the Miami Dolphins found themselves atop the list. Rounding out the top five behind the Dolphins were the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys.

Miami’s acquisition of Jalen Ramsey this offseason is the clear reason why they’re ranked so highly. He’s a former All-Pro that’s still considered one of the best in the game today, and he’s joining a group that already had a former All-Pro in Xavien Howard.

Beyond those two, the Dolphins selected South Carolina’s Cam Smith in the second round of the 2023 draft, and he’ll be fighting for opportunities with 2022 undrafted rookie Kader Kohou and Nik Needham, who is coming off of a torn Achilles.

Even their depth pieces like Keion Crossen and Justin Bethel got some invaluable snaps last year due to the vast number of injuries that plagued Miami’s defense.

If this secondary can stay healthy and play to their potential, Clay should be proven right, especially as part of a defense that’s now being coached by one of the most well-respected coordinators in Vic Fangio.

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Eagles land in the top five of an ESPN ranking of NFL CB units and depth charts

The Philadelphia Eagles are loaded at the cornerback position and landed in the top five of an ESPN ranking of all 32 units and depth charts

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Philadelphia logged a league-high 77 sacks in 2022, and most of that success can be attributed to having two All-Pros at the cornerback position.

The Birds are stacked at the position, with Avonte Maddox being one of football’s top slot/nickel cornerbacks.

With NFL training camps fast approaching, positional and individual rankings are starting to develop, and Philadelphia will be at the top of many.

ESPN recently ranked all 32 cornerback units and depth charts, and the Eagles landed at No. 3 in Mike Clay’s high-powered list.

The Dolphins landed at No. 1 on the list after trading for Jalen Ramsey, while the fast-rising Jets are No. 2 on the list thanks to Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed.

Green Bay and Dallas rounded out the top five.

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Dolphins CB Xavien Howard didn’t like making Pro Bowl last season

He got respect from the voters, but he doesn’t want to get in off of respect alone.

Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard was one of three original selections to the 2023 Pro Bowl Games, as he was joined by wide receiver Tyreek Hill and left tackle Terron Armstead.

The selection of Howard for the event was a bit surprising, considering he didn’t play up to his usual standards in 2022. In 15 games, he allowed completions on 59.5% of his targets and a passer rating of 101.2.

A lot of that likely had to do with the groin injuries he suffered early in the season, but the cornerback wasn’t making excuses.

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Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Howard explained that he didn’t like being voted to Pro Bowl after feeling like he didn’t play his best.

“I really didn’t like it,” Howard said. “My expectations, I feel like it wasn’t Pro Bowl caliber. Even though I made it, I was like ok. But it made me even push harder. Like I don’t want to get in like that.”

Respect is nice, especially when its from peers, coaches and fans, but Howard believes he still has the ability to be a top cornerback in the league today.

New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio brings a scheme that allows for a lot more zone coverage than Josh Boyer’s did, so a cornerback getting into his 30s should have an easy transition, especially considering he now has Jalen Ramsey, an All-Pro, on the opposite side.

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Dolphins CB Xavien Howard using critics as motivation in 2023

Haters are motivators for the former Baylor Bear.

2022 wasn’t the best year for Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard. Despite getting voted to the Pro Bowl, the former Baylor Bear had one of his worst seasons statistically, allowing a 101.2 passer rating on throws his way.

It was clear that something was ailing him, and it was known he was dealing with groin injuries. However, there were many who were quick to say that Howard’s best days in the NFL were behind him at only 29 years old.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Howard addressed the negative comments.

“Just seeing people saying I’m washed, I’m getting older and stuff like that,” Howard said. “Just a little bit of motivation. People are gonna say this and say that. I’ve been proving the critics wrong my whole life, so it’s nothing new.”

Entering his eighth professional season, Howard has made the Pro Bowl four times and has been an All-Pro once. Coming off of two groin injuries last year, being in a new defensive system and playing with Jalen Ramsey could see the 2016 second-round selection revert back to his pre-2022 form.

Critics may be eating their words in 2023, but if Howard doesn’t bounce back, they’ll be ready to double down.

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New Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey impressed during facility tour with Xavien Howard

Miami put out a video on their social media accounts.

The first day at a new job is always tough, but for new Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, he had a friend to show him around the building and make him feel comfortable.

On Wednesday, Ramsey and teammate Xavien Howard toured the Dolphins facility together after the former signed his new contract with the team.

Ramsey mentions how he’s never seen a facility quite like Miami’s, as owner Stephen Ross has put a lot into making sure the players are happy when they’re in the building. That’s part of the reason they scored so well on the NFLPA’s report card.

After the tour, the duo hit the hardwood to watch a Miami Heat game.

Dolphins fans have to be more than happy to see this.

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Dolphins re-sign CB Nik Needham

The cornerback room gets back one of its rising competitors.

One day after the Miami Dolphins took care of a few running backs of their own in Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson, they re-signed unrestricted free agent cornerback Nik Needham.

Needham has agreed to a one-year deal to return to Miami in 2023 worth just under $2 million, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Needham was playing great football as a fourth-year defensive back following a tough-road-traveled to the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019.

The Dolphins fought off a number of teams, at least six, including one that employs his former head coach, as the Minnesota Vikings and new defensive coordinator Brian Flores were very much after Needham.

A top-tier slot corner in 2021, Needham, unfortunately, was hurt last season during a Week 6 game, ironically against the Vikings, when he tore his Achilles.

Ahead of schedule, running and aiming for normal participation in training camp, Needham will come back to the team that took a chance on him in 2019.

Needham is part of a deep cornerback room in Miami, with depth players like Kader Kohou and Trill Williams. He could be a valuable piece in Vic Fanigio’s defense, as he’s an originally-trained boundary cornerback and could also resume work in the slot. He could even be a candidate to help out with safety duties.

Of course, following a massive splash trade on Sunday, when the Dolphins sent a 2023 third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for superstar cornerback, Jalen Ramsey, their secondary is as deep as ever.

Ramsey now pairs with Xavien Howard for arguably the league’s most fearsome duo, as the pending release of Byron Jones doesn’t seem to be an issue anymore.

In his four seasons, Needham has tailed 192 tackles, six interceptions including a “Nik-6” touchdown, as well as 25 passes defended. You can also add in three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

A player who earned the respect of teammates, coaches and Dolphins fans, Needham will no doubt continue to work and rehab his way back to the field, and back to form.

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