The Miami Dolphins bolstered their defensive backfield in a big way when they signed Byron Jones to bookend Xavien Howard in the 2020 NFL offseason. However, it was a move that ended up agitating Howard, as he believed he should be one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the league as well.
It led to a contract standoff in 2021, as Howard sought out a new deal. He requested a trade from the Dolphins if they were unwilling to pay him. Eventually, Miami provided a bandaid for the issues, paying Howard $3.5 million more in incentives on top of what he was earning.
While that was a nice gesture to get everyone on the same page for 2021, the same issues could arise this offseason. Howard’s per season payout is $15.1 million, which ranks seventh among cornerbacks. His teammate, Jones, still makes more than him at $16.5 million.
If issues arise once again between Howard and the organization, a trade request could come once again. If that occurs, there are plenty of teams that would line up to acquire Howard. Given how much of a passing league the NFL has turned into, it is a necessity to have lockdown cornerbacks.
In a recent article over at ESPN, a list of 20 under-the-radar trade candidates was put together. Howard was one of the people on that list and understandably so. Two NFC West rivals in the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks were mentioned as possible trade destinations as both teams need help in the secondary.
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San Francisco just missed out on representing the NFC in the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals. Had they had a cornerback of Xavien Howard’s caliber on the roster this season, they very well could have finished off the upset against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game.
Instead, it is the Rams playing in the Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium and the San Francisco 49ers will be watching from home. San Francisco struggled to contain Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. when it mattered most in crunch time. Kupp ended the game with 11 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns while Beckham finished with nine receptions for 113 yards.
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The Seattle Seahawks are a long time removed from the Legion of Boom. Their secondary gets picked apart weekly and they could really use a true No. 1 to get the defense back on track. A lot of focus has been placed on their pass rush in recent seasons, but the secondary is just as big of a culprit.
Seattle is not as far off from contending again as people think. Even if Russell Wilson chooses to move on, bolstering the passing defense would go a long way in helping them return to the postseason following the 2022 season.
