As we get closer and closer to free agency, teams will be making surprising moves. The first “woah” cut of the 2024 calendar year came out of Miami when they parted ways with cornerback Xavien Howard.
The former Baylor Bear is coming off signing a five-year deal with Miami in 2022. The Dolphins however found themselves in a tough cap situation and had to make the move to cut the former Pro Bowler.
Howard is expected to be a top priority for teams in free agency, and the Lions should be at the top of the list.
Brad Holmes and the Lions have the 6th-highest salary cap money6th-highest salary cap money available at this point in the calendar. Howard’s deal he signed last year had an average salary of just over $10 million per year. That sort of deal would and should be a no-brainer for Holmes to attempt to make.
Howard led the league in interceptions in 2020 when he caught ten of them. His ball production has been a character trait of his ever since his college career where he had 10 interceptions in three years, he now has 29 in eight years in the NFL.
Teams expected to be favorited for the top corner include the Philadelphia Eagles, who just hired his former coordinator Vic Fangio, as well as the NFC North rival Vikings. Minnesota should be at the top of the list due to his longtime head coach Brian Flores being the defensive coordinator for the Vikings.
The Lions need more turnovers from the defense in 2024, Howard could provide that. A best-case scenario is of course they sign him but if they get into a bidding war with the Vikings, they may need to go outside their comfort zone to make a case.