Details of Howard’s extension reveals mutual benefits

When Xavien Howard signed his record-setting extension Monday morning, he entered a six-year commitment to the Miami Dolphins that is mutually beneficial for both sides.

Howard’s extension adds an additional five years and $75.25 million in new money to the final year of his expiring rookie deal, which was slated to pay him $1,285,641 this season. Howard’s new deal exceeds the $75 million contract the Washington Redskins gave Josh Norman in 2016.

If Howard hadn’t signed the extension, played out his rookie deal and received the franchise tag from the Dolphins, he would have made less than $18 million over the next two seasons. By signing the extension, he’ll make more than $27 million over the next two seasons.

Howard, who has 11 interceptions and 25 pass breakups in 28 games the past two seasons, is viewed as one of the key building blocks for the defense new coach Brian Flores is trying to build in Miami. Howard, who made his first Pro Bowl last season despite missing the final four games because of a knee injury, is now under contract with the Dolphins until 2024.

“Xavien is obviously a very good player. He’s a leader in the locker room. I think he works hard,” Flores said last week. “He does a lot of the things that are core to what we see moving forward and we’re excited to keep him and have him here for a while.”

According to figures provided to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the former Baylor standout taken in the second round of the 2016 draft by the Dolphins will receive a $7 million signing bonus that’s due in three staggered payments before the end of year, and he’ll be paid another $7 million in a roster bonus that is due on Wednesday.

So instead of making $1,285,641 this season, he’ll net more than $15.1 million and become the third highest-paid player in franchise history, coming just short of the deals signed by former quarterback Ryan Tannehill and former defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

Howard’s salaries for the next three seasons will be fully guaranteed and pays the 26-year-old a little over $39 million for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Like most NFL contracts, the final three-years of Howard’s deal are opt-in years for the franchise.

Howard is slated to make $12,975,000 in 2022, $12 million in 2023 and $12,250,000 in 2024, which happens to be the season he’ll turn 31.

However, Howard has $1.5 million of his salary tied to per-game bonuses, which pay him an additional $31,250 for each game he plays during the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons, and $350,000 tied to workout bonuses from 2020-2024.

If the Dolphins feel his salary doesn’t match his production, they can release Howard with little to no cap penalty in each of those seasons.