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Dolphins would like Howard as long-term member
Team trying to work out multiyear deal with Pro Bowl cornerback
The Miami Dolphins’ decisionmakers met with standout cornerback Xavien Howard’s representatives Thursday evening in Indianapolis to begin talks about a contract extension.
According to league sources, the Dolphins have expressed their desire for Howard to be a part of the team’s long-term plans. However, both sides were hesitant about discussing numbers on a multiyear deal.
Howard, a 2018 Pro Bowl selection, has 11 interceptions and 25 pass breakups in 28 games the past two seasons. His seven interceptions last season tied for the league lead.
Howard’s goal is to receive an extension before the start of training camp that will make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid cornerbacks. That would require a salary that averages $14 million a season, which is in the neighborhood of Washington’s Josh Norman ($15 million), Trumaine Johnson of the New York Jets ($14.5 million), Minnesota’s Xavier Rhodes ($14,025,000), Arizona’s Patrick Peterson ($14,010,000) and Chicago’s Kyle Fuller ($14 million).
It is possible the Dolphins could use the framework of the five-year, $65 million deal the New England Patriots gave cornerback Stephon Gilmore as a free agent two years ago as a template for a new deal with Howard. Gilmore, around whom new Dolphins coach Brian Flores built his secondary in New England, was given $40 million in guaranteed money by the costconscious Patriots.
According to another league source, talks between Howard’s agent Damarius Bilbo, who is suspended by the players association until April 9, and the Dolphins will likely heat up once the team clears cap space in the coming weeks.
Miami has roughly $20 million in cap space with which to work this offseason, but it can clear an additional $50 million by releasing or trading five veterans — quarter-
back Ryan Tannehill, defensive ends Robert Quinn and Andre Branch, receiver DeVante Parker and offensive guard Ted Larsen.
Bilbo also represented former Dolphin Jarvis Landry during his complicated divorce from the team last offseason. Miami placed a franchise tag on Landry before trading him to the Cleveland Browns for a 2018 fourth-round pick and a 2019 seventh-round selection. The Browns gave Landry, a four-time Pro Bowl receiver, a five-year, $75.5 million deal, which featured $47 million in guaranteed money.
The Dolphins are hopeful that negotiations with Howard, who missed the final four games of 2018 because of a knee injury, will go much smoother than they did with Landry, who felt he was being disrespected by the Dolphins.
If the Dolphins don’t get a deal done with Howard, who is slated to earn $1.29 million this season on the final year of his rookie deal — which is less than what special teams ace Walt Aikens earns — it’s possible that Miami could deal the former Baylor standout to a team willing to trade an early draft pick in 2019 or 2020.
Miami also may opt to use the franchise tag on the 25-year-old Howard in 2020, as they did with Landry, forcing Howard to play on his rookie deal before locking him up for one more season on a fully guaranteed deal that’s projected to be $16 million.
Cornerback is a position of need for the Dolphins, who have limited depth there. Outside of Howard, the Dolphins’ only other viable starter is Bobby McCain, who has been used as the team’s nickel cornerback the past four seasons.
Miami used 2018 first-round pick Minkah Fitzpatrick as a boundary and nickel cornerback last season, but he’s expected be the team’s starting free safety in 2019.
Torry McTyer started four games last season, but the secondyear player struggled most of the year. So too did Cordrea Tankersley, a 2017 third-round pick, who played poorly last season before tearing his ACL and missing the final eight games.
The Dolphins also have Cornell Armstrong, a 2018 sixth-round pick, Jalen Davis, Dee Delaney and Jomal Wiltz on the 90-player training camp roster. The Dolphins have typically needed six cornerbacks to make it through a 16-game season.