Miami Dolphins: 5 players who have the most to prove in 2021

Xavien Howard had a Pro Bowl season in 2020 and some would argue an MVP-worthy season but this year, his regression is going to be quite noticeable.

Howard is a fun football player to watch and his ball-hawking skills are some of the best in the league. Last year he hit double digits and that is going to be hard to repeat in 2021. Howard doesn’t have to prove he belongs in the league but in his career, he has been good and last year he was great.

Miami needs him to be great. He can’t slide back. His injuries prior to last year have been well documented and he needs to take care of his body. What Howard needs to prove is that last year was not a fluke, not a side note in his career. He needs to show up, be a leader, and prove that he can do it again.

Howard is the Dolphins’ big defensive playmaker and the team will succeed defensively if he has another great season in 2021. Making it more interesting is that rumors circulated late last season that Howard would seek a new contract. In 2022, the Dolphins could release Howard and save almost $12 million in cap space with only a $2.8 million hit. If Howard wants a bigger extension with more guaranteed money, prove that last year was not the exception.