There are only two possible explanations for new Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver leaving Xavien Howard off his list of players he’s excited about coaching in 2024.
- Weaver somehow forgot about the second-most accomplished cornerback in Dolphins history.
- He intentionally omitted Howard because the Dolphins are likely to move on this offseason.
Will Xavien Howard Be Back With Miami Dolphins in 2024?
Certainly, Option 2 seems the more likely of the two.
Howard, who turns 31 in July, has just two interceptions since signing a five-year, $90 million contract extension before the 2022 season.
And while he was better in 2023 than he was in an injury-plagued 2022, it’s hard to justify paying both him and Jalen Ramsey $44 million in combined salary and bonuses this year.
So don’t be surprised at all if the Dolphins either try to trade Howard or make him a post-June 1 cut in the coming weeks.
Such a move would certainly free up cap space. But it would also create a hole at cornerback. Here are names to keep in mind in free agency if the Dolphins indeed go that route.
All rankings and commentary are courtesy of PFN NFL analyst Dallas Robinson, who compiled PFN’s Top 100 list.
Potential Miami Dolphins Cornerback Targets in Free Agency
Jaylon Johnson | Chicago Bears
- Age: 24
- Seasons: 4
- Last contract: 4 years, $8.3 million ($2.1 million AAV)
- Spotrac Estimated Market Value: 5 years, $78.7 million ($15.7 million AAV)
- PFN Top 100 Overall Ranking: 9
- Position Ranking: 1
- Robinson’s Take: Jaylon Johnson was on the block before the 2023 NFL trade deadline, but the Bears held onto the 24-year-old cornerback when their late-first/early-second-round asking price wasn’t met.
- He ultimately set career bests in completion rate (55.2%), yards per target (4.8), and yards per completion (8.7). Johnson allowed a 33.3 passer rating as the nearest defender in coverage, the best mark in the NFL per PFF, and seems destined for the franchise tag.
L’Jarius Sneed | Kansas City Chiefs
- Age: 27
- Seasons: 4
- Last contract: 4 years, $5.8 million ($1.5 million AAV)
- Spotrac Estimated Market Value: 4 years, $65.3 million ($16.3 million AAV)
- Overall Ranking: 10
- Position Ranking: 2
- Robinson’s Take: One of the more versatile corners in the NFL, L’Jarius Sneed spent most of his time in the slot early in his career before playing almost every snap on the perimeter in 2023.
- The transition took, as Sneed didn’t allow a receiving touchdown in his coverage area until the Buffalo Bills’ Khalil Shakir scored on him in the Divisional Round. A scheme-transcendent corner who isn’t afraid to get involved in the run game, Sneed should get paid this offseason.
Kendall Fuller | Washington Commanders
- Age: 29
- Seasons: 8
- Last contract: 4 years, $40 million ($10 million AAV)
- Spotrac Estimated Market Value: 3 years, $42.4 million ($14.1 million AAV)
- Overall Ranking: 18
- Position Ranking: 3
- Robinson’s Take: Coming off a four-year, $40 million deal, the 28-year-old Kendall Fuller is eyeing one more significant bite at the apple. He’s been a consistent option throughout his career with the Commanders and Chiefs and has slot/boundary versatility.
- Washington can use all the corner help they can get and might push to retain Fuller, who could reach $15 million annually on the open market.
Chidobe Awuzie | Cincinnati Bengals
- Age: 28
- Seasons: 7
- Last contract: 3 years, $21.3 million ($7.1 million AAV)
- Overall Ranking: 47
- Position Ranking: 4
- Robinson’s Take: Chidobe Awuzie more than delivered on his three-year contract with the Bengals, even if his 2022 ACL injury slowed him down over the next two seasons. He’s no longer the CB1 he was in 2021, but Awuzie is still on the right side of 30.
- A short-term deal might be his only option, but Awuzie can still play. However, a return to Cincinnati appears unlikely, given how many Day 1 and 2 picks the Bengals have used on fellow cornerbacks.
Stephon Gilmore | Dallas Cowboys
- Age: 33
- Seasons: 12
- Last contract: 2 years, $22 million ($11 million AAV)
- Spotrac Estimated Market Value: 1 year, $11.1 million ($11.1 million AAV)
- Overall Ranking: 49
- Position Ranking: 5
- Robinson’s Take: Stephon Gilmore proved he still had it after being traded from the Colts to the Cowboys in 2023, appearing in all 17 games while playing primarily single coverage.
- He’ll be 34 years old next season, and cornerbacks have been known to fall off a cliff. But Gilmore is still a CB1 until proven otherwise. A return to Dallas — especially with fellow cornerback Trevon Diggs recovering from a torn ACL — makes sense.
Kenny Moore | Indianapolis Colts
- Age: 28
- Seasons: 7
- Last contract: 5 years, $36.6 million ($7.3 million AAV)
- Overall Ranking: 53
- Position Ranking: 6
- Robinson’s Take: A Pro Bowler in 2021, Kenny Moore posted a rebound campaign after a down 2022 that saw him miss the final five games of the year with an ankle injury.
- He allowed 9.1 yards per completion, his best market since 2019, and gave up just 0.93 yards from the slot, 11th-best among 42 CBs with at least 100 snaps inside, per PFF. Cameron Sutton’s three-year, $33 million deal with the Detroit Lions should be Moore’s starting point.
Steven Nelson | Houston Texans
- Age: 31
- Seasons: 9
- Last contract: 2 years, $10 million ($5 million AAV)
- Spotrac Estimated Market Value: 3 years, $30.7 million ($10.2 million AAV)
- Overall Ranking: 75
- Position Ranking: 7
- Robinson’s Take: Steven Nelson was on a two-year deal with the Texans, and he gave Houston competent play on the perimeter. Although Nelson might not be a star, he’s rarely injured, has an incredible football IQ, and has spent time with a litany of winning teams.
- Another two-year pact in the $10 million range should be on the table, and a return to Houston might be in the cards, given that the Texans don’t have another obvious candidate to play alongside Derek Stingley Jr.
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