Cowboys Free Agency: Dolphins to Cut Xavien Howard; Sign with Texans or Dallas?

The Miami Dolphins are reportedly moving on from veteran cornerback Xavien Howard, and he is set to hit the open market as a post-June 1 cut.

The Miami Dolphins are reportedly moving on from veteran cornerback Xavien Howard, and he is set to hit the open market as a post-June 1 cut.

Howard, 30, is coming off a season-ending foot injury and a season where he played in 13 games and tallied just one interception, 12 passes defended and 45 total tackles with 36 solo. He also registered one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit. 

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The Dallas Cowboys could be interested, as they've got some decisions to make on the defensive side of the ball in free agency.

Cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who arrived in Dallas last offseason via trade from Indianapolis for a fifth-round pick will hit the open market unless the Cowboys decide they'd like to retain him. 

Gilmore's estimated market value per Spotrac is for one year at $11.165 million. Last season, Gilmore appeared in all 17 regular-season games and the Cowboys' postseason loss to the Green Bay Packers.

The five-time Pro Bowler had two interceptions last season to go along with two forced fumbles and 73 total tackles in the regular season and postseason. 

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The Dolphins will save $23 million by cutting the four-time Pro Bowler. Howard finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2020, a season that saw him intercept 10 passes. 

The former Baylor Bears star and Houston native earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2020 and second-team All-Pro honors in 2018, and maybe there is a "Texas thing'' here. 

But, alas, a problem: If Dallas is reluctant to pay Gilmore, say, $11 mil, how would the club feel about paying Howard twice that? He's been a $25 million APY guy for the last couple of years, and that doesn't fit.

We wonder if his "homecoming'' might not be in this part of the state ... but rather, down south in his actual hometown of Houston.