The Miami Dolphins will get trade offers for Xavien Howard this off-season

The Miami Dolphins will get trade offers for Xavien Howard.

This coming off-season the Miami Dolphins will more than likely receive trade interest in Xavien Howard but should they entertain those chats?

It is speculation but in this NFL, trade offers for top players are a common off-season thing and this year, Xavien Howard will likely have his name mentioned often on Chris Grier’s telephone.

Howard is having the best year of his NFL career and is having a season unlike any other since the early 80s. In fact, if he can get a few more takeaways in the last three games he could encroach on the all-time single-season record of 14.

This article is not to suggest the Miami Dolphins will entertain those phone calls but if we are to believe that Howard has become the best corner in the NFL, then we need to realize that other teams will want him, and they might be willing to pay for him.

Howard is 27 years old and is playing elite football. His name is in the NFL DPOY discussions and should easily be a first-team Pro Bowl player. What if the Dolphins decided that they could rebuild faster without him? What if the Dolphins got another “can’t refuse” offer like they got when they traded Laremy Tunsil two seasons ago?

Howard has four years left on his contract. He is scheduled to make $13.5, $14.3, $13.4, and $12.2 million in the next four seasons. The dead money should he be released would run from $4.2 million in 2021 to zero in 2024. Cap savings range from $9.3 to $12.2 in those same years.

If the Dolphins traded Howard, the numbers would drop a little according to OverTheCap.com. 

To play Devil’s Advocate here, what if Miami looks at Howard as someone they feel they can move on from while the market is high? Chances are, Howard’s market is going to be at the highest point in the next few years. Would you trade him for multiple picks that included additional first-round selections? Is he replaceable?

It’s a tough call and one that Miami doesn’t have to worry about today but may have to worry about in another few months. The Dolphins might have to decide if Howard is a cornerstone piece to the rebuild or a veteran leader to help mold and shape the team’s younger players. If it is the latter, then maybe if interest is high enough and a package is an excellent value, we see the Dolphins make a move. On the other hand, I’m not sure I would want to make that move until after next season.

With the development of this team, Howard should be a cornerstone block of the defense and secondary and 2021 could be a great season for the Dolphins, there is no reason to believe that Howard will see a huge drop off in his coverage skills, so if I am Chris Grier, I’m holding my calls until 2022.