Flores: We Don't Want to Trade X
Brian Flores made his most definitive statement regarding Xavien Howard on Friday, flatly stating he does not want to trade the All-Pro cornerback.
“We don’t want to trade X," Flores said before the Dolphins conducted a walk-through. "Write that down. He’s a very good player. He’s a great part of the team. We don’t want to trade X.”
Howard requested a trade via Instagram on July 27, the day Dolphins reported for training camp.
The two-time Pro Bowl selection is unhappy with his contract; he signed a five-year extension in May 2019 and is signed through 2024.
Howard missed the last three practices because of what Flores has termed an ankle injury and was limited in another.
"I guess I would say I think Xavien has done a nice job," Flores said. "He's been dealing with an ankle. I think he's been very supportive of his teammates. He's been attentive in meetings. I think you see him on the field coaching guys up, young guys. I think he's dealing with an injury, like several other players. He's working to get back.
"Obviously he's an important part of this team and he's taking things day to day. When he gets back we'll get him in there and get him working with his teammates. I think he's doing a nice job, considering his situation."
Flores declined to comment when asked whether the Dolphins fielded trade calls related to Howard.
Howard became the highest-paid cornerback at the time he signed his $75.1 million contract extension, but has since fallen to sixth. As he pointed out in his Instagram post, Howard no longer is the highest-paid cornerback on his own team, having been overtaken by Byron Jones and the five-year, $82.5 million deal he signed as an unrestricted free agent during the 2020 offseason.
"I talk to X pretty much every day," Flores said. "I think every conversation is productive. We got into specifics of X’s and O’s, contracts, things of that nature. I think they’ve been productive.
"Like I said last week, I think we’re moving in the right direction, and we’ll just continue to keep talking to him and his representation. I think we want these things to happen quickly. We want them to happen right now, but some things take time and we’ll work through it and, hopefully, come to the best resolution for all sides.”
"I’ll say this, last week I stood up here and I’ve said it again, talks are progressing. I’m not going to get into the details of those conversations, but talks are progressing. You take from that what you want. Again, these things, they take time. But as long as the lines of communication are open, as long as everyone is willing to compromise, then we can get something done.”
