For 17 years, Dan Marino played quarterback for the Dolphins.
Xavien Howard, the team’s cornerback, will soon begin his seventh season in Miami, making him the player with the longest service.
Fans should be thankful that there is a chance Howard might play his entire career in aqua and orange because it serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of loyalty in the modern NFL.
On July 4th, Howard will turn 29 (is that why there are so many fireworks?). and does not appear to be slowing down.
Since they recently tore up his contract for the second consecutive summer and replaced it with a five-year deal that would deposit more than $90 million into his bank account, the Dolphins most definitely don’t believe so.
So, no, when training camp arrives in 2022, there won’t be a holdout.
Howard remarked, “I feel like people trust and believe in me.
What were the Dolphins’ expectations for their investment, according to them?
He replied, “To get the ball. Since I’ve been here, I’ve been doing that.
Despite the fact that Howard’s talent was clear to South Floridians a few seasons into his career, he made a big impression on the country in 2020 when he led the league with 10 interceptions, including numerous catches that any receiver would be delighted to make.
Nobody should have any cause to doubt Howard’s ability to repeat it, just as nobody should have any reason to doubt that his career is still moving in the right direction.
He now has two of the finest cornerbacks in franchise history (Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain) coaching him, which is an extra bonus.
However, quarterbacks are not naive.
They understand the location of No. 25.
They targeted Howard’s guy eight less times in 2021 than they did in 2020, but a deeper inspection reveals that the average yardage gained per target fell by a half-yard to 6.6, indicating that they may be experimenting with shorter routes.
The finest piece of advise when evaluating Howard’s brilliance is to believe your eyes. See what the best receiver on the other team can do against him. Watch the flexibility coordinator Josh Boyer has just by having him there.
Don’t forget Champ Bailey, too. Why? The benchmark that Howard aspires to meet is Bailey, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
Bailey dominated the NFL in 2006 in terms of interceptions (10) and interception return yards (162).
He only had three the following year.
He actually never again had more than three in a season.
He had a total of 13 INTs over the course of his final seven seasons.
