Reasons Why Colts Must Commit Dolphins’ All-Pro Defender

admin | February 26, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Miami Dolphins CB Xavien Howard will be available for signing, and the Indianapolis Colts should seriously explore bringing him aboard.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Miami Dolphins will release Xavien Howard, a former four-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro cornerback. This development implies Howard will be a free agent at the start of the league season.

According to Garofolo’s tweet on X, the Dolphins have notified CB Xavien Howard that he will be dismissed at the start of the league year. The four-time Pro Bowl selection is likely to generate a lot of interest on the market.

The Indianapolis Colts, who have a great but untested secondary, should act quickly to sign Howard.Here are three compelling reasons to sign a contract.

All-Pro Pedigree

The National Football League is a “what have you done for me lately?” league.Howard is coming off a disappointing season by his standards.In 2023, he recorded 45 tackles, 12 passes defensed, and an interception for the Dolphins.

However, his Pro Football Focus defensive metrics reveal a deeper story.Howard had a dismal 51.9 coverage grade on 475 snaps, ranking second only to cornerback Kader Kohou.

While Howard did not seem his best in 2023, it is impossible to ignore what he has accomplished in prior seasons. He was drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft out of Baylor in 2016, and he never looked back for the next seven seasons. He has four Pro Bowl appearances and two All-Pro nods (first and second team).

In 2018 and 2020, he combined for an incredible 17 interceptions, leading the league both years.In addition, he has demonstrated an outstanding ability to swat away passes at the correct time, with 95 total passes defended across eight seasons, including 12 in 2023.

If the Colts sign Howard, they don’t expect him to take a plunge in the Fountain of Youth (30 years old). They’d sign him knowing he can still play solid defense and contribute to a young secondary with a cornerback mindset.

Speaking of the secondary in Indy…

An Inexperienced Secondary

The Colts have a reliable cornerback in veteran Kenny Moore II.Moore fell apart in 2022, but returned with a fury in 2023.

Moore was consistent, recording an efficient 95 tackles, three interceptions, eight tackles for loss, and two defensive touchdowns.He also had the highest total coverage rating (79.3) by a wide margin (Dallis Flowers; 70.6).

However, outside of Moore, this is an unproven, youthful corner room that may benefit from Howard’s expertise. Moore would undoubtedly benefit from having another veteran, such as Howard. Corners JuJu Brents, Jaylon Jones, and Flowers are likely to follow suit.

Not to suggest Brents, Jones, and Flowers did not show promise or potential, but they are still young and require as much supervision as possible to accelerate their development.Howard can help with this and add more skill to the Colts’ cornerback corps, which also has a depth issue outside of the starters.

A Steal of a Deal?

Howard was first signed to a high-performance contract as a cornerback with the Dolphins. Howard was on a five-year, $90 million contract with Miami until the news of his impending release broke. This equates to $18 million annually.

Howard is the eighth highest-paid defensive back in the league, with an average annual compensation of $18 million, according to SpoTrac. With a high annual salary of $18.33 million, he is nearly identical to Jalen Ramsey.

However, it is unlikely that the Colts will have to pay this much. Indianapolis currently ranks sixth in the NFL in terms of available cap space, with $79,250,395. The Colts need to improve their secondary in addition to re-signing players like wideout Michael Pittman Jr. and defensive tackle Grover Stewart.

I boldly predict that if Howard is signed by Indianapolis, he will be paid $18 million over two years ($9 million per year). It’s a significant decrease from his prior contract, which will terminate when the Dolphins decide to part company with the veteran defender. A disappointing 2023 season, combined with the Dolphins’ realization that they no longer needed him, makes him less expensive than a No.1 cornerback.

The Colts can pay him, Moore, and the other essential players while still having plenty of cap space. While it may not work, it could with a new coordinator like Gus Bradley. Bradley’s style, as well as a new role, might provide a refreshing change of pace.

If the Colts provide that type of salary and Howard reaches his stride, you’re looking at an unbelievable steal. We’ll see what Chris Ballard does with this potential Howard purchase.

The #Dolphins have informed CB Xavien Howard he will be released at the start of the league year, sources tell me and @PSchrags. The four-time Pro Bowl selection is expected to have significant interest on the market.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 23, 2024