X Discusses Dolphins Exit, Future Plans

Four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard says the "door is closed" on a potential return to Miami

Cornerback Xavien Howard officially will become a former member of the Miami Dolphins next Wednesday, and he made clear Thursday that's going to be end of his time with the organization.

In a conversation on the Joe Rose radio show, Howard shot down the idea of the door being left open for a potential return, as GM Chris Grier suggested at the combine in Indianapolis last week.

"That door is closed, I'm sorry," Howard said. "I did not hear that at all, but I know that door is closed, though."

The Dolphins informed Howard two weeks ago he would be released at the start of the new league year March 13 with a post-June 1 designation, a move that will save the team almost $19 million of cap space.

Grier said last week, "We’re going to stay in communication as the process goes and see what happens, and we left the door open for him possibly coming back here too."

The move came as Howard was heading into the third year of a five-year extension he signed in 2022, after the guarantees on his salary ran out.

That factor is why Howard said he wasn't surprised he was released.

"Yeah, I was thinking it could happen," he said. "In this business, you know how it goes. You feel it. I've been eight years here and I've seen the business side of it so many times. And I knew how it planned out and me and my agent talked about it before we signed our last deal that that's how it was going to happen and it ended up happening and I wasn't surprised at all."

WHAT'S NEXT FOR X?

Howard already is looking ahead to his next destination, and he listed his preferences when it comes to his next team.

"There's a few teams I'd be interested to play for, man.," he said. "I'm at the point I just want to win. I want to go deep into the playoffs, so hopefully it's teams like that that have done that, been in the playoffs, went deep in the playoffs. I'm sure there's gonna be teams interested, but I"m going to be focusing on teams that have been deep in the playoffs that can make a big run."

The Houston Texans never have made a deep playoff run, but he made no secret that's also an appealing possibility because they're his hometown team and they have a bright future outlook after winning a playoff game in 2023 with first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud leading the way.

Joining the Texans also would represent a reunion with left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who the Dolphins selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft before they selected Howard in the second round.

"Oh yeah, oh yeah, that's my guy," Howard said. "Me and LT always been talking, we were in the same draft class, we always have a relationship. I wouldn't mind seeing myself back at home. It'd be easy for me, especially being home. I already have a crib out there. They got a good young team and I wouldn't mind."

HOWARD REFLECTS ON 2O23 SEASON

Howard's 2023 season ended prematurely when he sustained a foot injury in the Week 17 loss against the Baltimore Ravens and he ended up missing four games overall and having his streak of three consecutive Pro Bowl invitations come to an end.

But perhaps what stood out was the way he was used, which resurfaced as a hot topic based on Jalen Ramsey's tweet following news of Howard's release.

The scheme run by Vic Fangio in his one year as defensive coordinator emphasized zone coverage, which doesn't necessarily play to Howard's strengths.

"It was cool," he said. "It was something different. Ever since I've been at the Dolphins, any DC I had, I've been a press corner since I've been in the league, I mean, a good press corner. And it was totally different. I was playing off this year a lot and that wasn't my best thing I d,. It was a totally different game but in my head, I wasn't even thinking, I'm like, OK, this is the defense that everybody around the league is playing. I feel like it wasn't my best as being productive this year.

"But it was something that I showed the league that I can play off and I can play zone. This is wouldn't the defense that I've been in so, yeah, I just had to be able to show them that I can play off, play zone and stuff like that, though. I felt that way, but I'm a very humble guy, I was thinking team first. It was a good defense. The front was definitely eating, the linebackers were making plays. So I was cool with that because we were winning during the time, but it is what it is. Hopefully I go to a team that uses me right, you feel me?"

That team, though, won't be the Miami Dolphins.

Dolphins open to cornerback Xavien Howard returning to the team