According to Mike Garafolo and Peter Schrager on Twitter, cornerback Xavien Howard was told by the Miami Dolphins on Friday that he would be dismissed at the beginning of the league season.
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Given Howard’s background, it may seem like a surprising decision, but the Dolphins needed to make this move since they will find it difficult to stay under the recently raised cap ceiling in 2024.
Howard, who is thirty years old and entering his ninth season in the NFL, had a disappointing season by his standards last year, but he is a four-time Pro Bowler and will be a major attraction for the league.
One of those teams might be the Detroit Lions, who after a season marred by an abundance of injuries and subpar play from their outside corners in 2023, should undoubtedly be shopping for a cornerback this offseason.
We should take a close look at the 49ers’ desperate need for another game-winning play.
The date is January 14, 2012. We are in San Francisco at Candlestick Park. The 49ers need a touchdown with 14 seconds remaining, down three, and facing a third down to maintain their hopes of making the playoffs without having to go to OT. In the meantime, the Saints can draw a conclusion from this and move on to the NFC Championship Game. We need to look back in time to comprehend how we got here and to fully appreciate what this moment signifies.
The question for today is…
Must the Lions attempt to get Xavien Howard?
Only if the price is right, is my response.
There is reason for concern whenever a top player at his position ages and becomes less effective. Howard would still be a significant improvement over the outside corner the Lions now have, even at his worst.
No longer is Howard the playwright he once was. In contrast to his 27 interceptions in his first seven seasons in the league, he has only had two interceptions in the last two years. He has, meanwhile, continued to perform a good job of gaining possession of the ball and has at least 12 pass deflections in four seasons.
I think it’s a good idea for the Lions to target a veteran like Howard and then select a young cornerback in the NFL Draft to develop behind him. All the money needs to do is make sense.
Let’s talk with you. Please share your opinions in the comments section below.
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