Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
CB Howard on PUP list as knee rehab continues
The left knee injury Xavien Howard has been rehabbing for the past seven months won’t allow the Miami Dolphins’ top returning defender to participate in the start of the season’s training camp.
Howard, a 2018 Pro Bowl player the Dolphins signed to a five-year, $75 million extension last offseason, underwent reconstructive surgery on Dec. 19 to repair a left knee injury that limited him to five games in 2019.
He’s been rehabbing at the team facility since the NFL loosened its restrictions on who has access to the facility back in June, but the Dolphins placed Howard on the team’s physically unable to perform list on Tuesday.
That means the Howard, who has contributed 140 tackles, one sack and 12 interceptions in the 40 games he’s played, will be allowed to train and rehab inside the team’s facility, but can’t participate in practices until he’s taken off the PUP list.
Dolphins veterans are reporting to the team’s facility this week, taking a series of COVID-19 tests before they can begin weight lifting and on-field work. Miami can’t conduct on-field practices until Aug. 17 according to the NFL’s new rules for playing the 2020 season during the coronavirus pandemic.
Players placed on the PUP list don’t count against the 80-player training camp roster, and can be removed from the list at any point. How soon Howard comes off the PUP list likely depends on his progress, and the stability and strength of the surgically repaired knee.
The Dolphins would like to have Howard rejoin the team before the start of the regular season, pairing him with newcomer Byron Jones, a free agent Miami signed to a five-year, $82.5 million contract this offseason.
Howard and Jones are two of the NFL’s three highest-paid cornerbacks, and Miami’s hope is that they’ll become one of the league’s elite cornerback duos. But to get there Howard, who has struggled with knee issues for all but one of his four seasons in the NFL, has to get healthy.
The Dolphins do have depth at that position considering Nik Needham, an undrafted rookie from UTEP, emerged as a viable starter last season, contributing 54 tackles, two interceptions, one forced fumble and 11 pass deflections in the 12 games he played last season.
Miami also drafted former Auburn standout Noah Igbinoghene with the 30th overall pick in April’s NFL draft, and have a handful of players — Eric Rowe, Bobby McCain, Ken Webster, Ryan Lewis, Nate Brooks and Jamal Perry who have started NFL games.
Miami claimed Javaris Davis, an undrafted rookie from Auburn, off the waiver wire on Monday, adding him to the mix of young cornerbacksvying to make the 53-man regular-season roster and Miami’s 16-player practice squad.
The Dolphins also placed linebacker Calvin Munson, who joined the team late last season after being poached off the New England Patriots’ practice squad, on the active/nonfootball injury list on Tuesday.
Munson is one of 12 linebackers vying to make it onto Miami’s roster or practice squad.