Former Dolphins Pro Bowl CB Finds New NFL Team

Former Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts worth up to $5 million.

Dec 11, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) catches the football against Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard (25) during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Former Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard is signing a contract with the Indianapolis Colts.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Howard will sign a one-year contract worth up to $5 million.

Howard did not play at all in 2024, but enjoyed a career with the Dolphins that spanned from 2016 through 2023. Howard had 29 interceptions in 100 career games with Miami. He was a second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Howard sustained a Lisfranc injury at the end of the 2023 season which was still not healed by the time the 2024 season started. He was released by the Dolphins in March 2024 with a post-June 1 designation.

In his last season with the Dolphins, he started 13 games. He accumulated 45 tackles, 12 passes defended, and an interception. He would miss the final two games of that season due to the injury. When he left the field in a Week 17 game, it would be the last time Howard would put on a Miami uniform.

He worked out for Cincinnati and Dallas last season, but did not sign with either club.

COULD THE DOLPHINS HAVE USED HOWARD?

The Colts opted to sign Howard to bolster their cornerback room, while the Dolphins opted to look elsewhere for help after losing releasing Kendall Fuller, trading Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers and losing Kader Kohou to a season-ending training camp knee injury. The two new cornerbacks the Dolphins signed after the injuries to Kohou and newcomer Artie Burns were former New England Patriots draft pick Jack Jones Jr. and veteran nickel corner Mike Hilton.

Indianapolis has three cornerbacks nursing injuries right now. The Colts need depth in the cornerback room, so Howard fits in their immediate plans.

The Dolphins need more depth as well, but will go forward with a cornerback room consisting of Storm Duck, Kendall Sheffield, Jason Marshall Jr., Ethan Bonner, Cam Smith, Hilton and Jones.

Miami will face Howard and the Colts in the season opener, and later in the season are scheduled to go against Ramsey when they travel to Heinz Field for a Monday night game against the Steelers on Dec. 15.

Howard was the second draft pick of Chris Grier's tenure as general manager, which began in 2016 with the selection of Laremy Tunsil in the first round.

The Dolphins got Howard after trading up from 40th to 36th overall, which was the last time they had traded up in the second round for a player until they did it in 2025 for guard Jonah Savaiinaea.