A Bunch of X Trade Scenarios ... And What's More Realistic

The situation involving the All-Pro Bowl cornerback remains cloudy as training camp approaches

As the start of training camp moves closer and closer, the situation involving Miami Dolphins All-Pro cornerback Xavien Howard remains as cloudy as ever.

There have been no statements coming from either the Dolphins or Howard's new agent, David Canter, but it was just last month that Howard was a no-show at the team's mandatory minicamp, with head coach Brian Flores indicating the absence had to do with the six-year veteran's contract status.

The possibility certainly exists the two sides are headed for a showdown if the Dolphins decline to revisit Howard's contract, which has four years remaining, and trading Howard is one of the possible resolutions of the conflict.

There's already been plenty of speculation about what a Howard trade might look like, with two NFL writers each offering four potential scenarios.

Matt Fitzgerald of Sportsnaut.com offered these four potential trades:

• The Dolphins get a 2022 1st-round pick, RB Tony Pollard, and 2023 5th-round pick from Dallas for Howard.
• The Dolphins get a 2022 1st-round pick, WR Andy Isabella, and 2023 4th-round pick from Arizona for Howard.
• The Dolphins get a 2022 1st-round pick, 2023 conditional 3rd-round pick, a 2024 4th-round pick, and WR Jamison Crowder from the Jets for Howard.
• The Dolphins get a 2022 1st-round pick and a 2023 2nd-round pick from the Raiders for Howard.

Then there are these four trade scenarios from Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report:

• The Dolphins get 2022 second- and fourth-round draft picks and cornerback Greedy Williams from Cleveland for Howard.
• The Dolphins get a 2022 first-round draft pick from New Orleans for Howard.
• The Dolphins get 2022 second- and fifth-round picks and linebacker Jordan Hicks from Arizona for Howard.
• The Dolphins get a 2022 second-round draft pick and tight end Zach Ertz from Philadelphia for Howard.

The big question, of course, is whether any of those scenarios represents what the Dolphins realistically can expect to get for Howard in the event they decide to trade him.

PREVIOUS BIG TRADES INVOLVING DEFENSIVE BACKS

Sure, the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars both got two first-round picks when they traded defensive backs Jamal Adams and Jalen Ramsey, respectively, but both of those players were 25 when they were traded, whereas Howard turned 28 on the Fourth of July. And neither had a history of knee issues like Howard, who has had at least three knee operations by all accounts and has played 16 games only twice in five NFL seasons.

It also was just two years ago that the Dolphins traded defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a first-round pick and a swap of later-round picks that pretty much evened out. And it should be mentioned that Fitzpatrick was a year removed from being the 11th overall pick in the draft and under team control for an additional four years.

So maybe the idea of the Dolphins being able to get multiple premium picks or a combination of a premium and player(s) for Howard, no matter how good he was last season, might be a tad unrealistic in the event the organization decides to trade him.

Of the eight scenarios presented above, maybe the deal with the Saints calling for one first-round pick in exchange might be the most realistic. Dolphins fans suggesting the Dolphins could get for Howard what they got for Laremy Tunsil will be disappointed because Tunsil was younger and didn't have the injury history.

Of course, the Dolphins absolutely do not have to trade Howard and instead find a way to solve the issue at hand, but that's a different discussion for a different day.