Xavien Howard has dominated most of the Dolphins’ headlines ahead of training camp. Howard officially held out after missing mandatory training camp in a bid to sign a new contract. Here are the top 3 teams that could trade for Xavien Howard.
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Xavien Howard signed a massive $75.25M contract extension in the summer of 2019. But 1 year in, Howard seems adamant about signing a new contract after a career year in 2020.
Lowest passer rating allowed in 2020 among CBs (playoffs included):
🔒 Jaire Alexander – 52.9
🔒 Xavien Howard – 53.0 pic.twitter.com/hhJpVIiE87— PFF (@PFF) January 28, 2021
Howard led the league in interceptions with 10 in 2020, including one against Patrick Mahomes in a Week 14 matchup, and had a PFF grade of 87.3. Here are the top 3 teams that could trade for Xavien Howard.
Top 3 Landing Spots for Xavien Howard
#1. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys were horrific on pass defence in 2020. The team allowed 34 passing touchdowns in 2020, fewer than only two teams in the NFL, and waited until the second round to address the cornerback position in the draft.
After losing Byron Jones in Free Agency, the Cowboys haven’t been the same on pass defence and are in desperate need of a top tier corner. Kelvin Joseph could be a great pick with the 44th overall pick, but the Cowboys need to maximize the impact of a loaded offense. And a loaded DB like Howard can do just that.
Cap space might be an issue for the Cowboys. They have only $6M in cap space. But the Jones family has rarely shied away from the opportunity to execute a deal for a marquee player. Anthony Brown is the highest-paid corner on the Cowboys right now at $5.7M. A little draft capital and the involvement of a player like Brown could make the deal worth it.
#2. Los Angeles Chargers
A trade to the Chargers will make a lot of sense for both Howard and the LA Chargers. The Chargers were a top-10 defence last year, and with Howard on the roster, they could push to be one of the best.
New HC Brandon Staley led the Rams to the No. 1 defence in the NFL in 2020 as their DC. So bringing in a top tier CB like Howard will be something that the Staley could really want. The Rams brought in Jalen Ramsey in 2019, and it definitely worked out well for the team.
The Chargers also have a massive $20M in cap space. So with Howard on the team, the Chargers could make a legitimate push to make the playoffs in 2021.
#3. Arizona Cardinals
The Dolphins and the Cardinals have trade history, a major piece on the Cardinals defence could become a trade piece
One of the key members of the Cardinal/Howard speculation is the potential of including linebacker Chandler Jones because Jones is very familiar to Brian Flores having played under him in New England. The Cardinals expect to start Isiah Simmons and 2021 first-round pick Zaven Collins at LB, so a trade for Howard using Jones could be a legitimate option.
The Cardinals have about $11 million in cap space right now and could package Jones and a 2nd round pick for Howard. The Cardinals have built a pretty tough defence but their secondary isn’t very good and could use a big upgrade like Howard.
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