Could Seahawks Make a Run at Dolphins CB Xavien Howard?

Anytime a disgruntled star NFL player's frustrations become public knowledge as they try to coax their way out of town, the Seahawks always seem to emerge as a potential landing spot and for obvious reasons.

Under general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll, Seattle has provided a safe haven for unhappy players seeking a change of scenery and the opportunity to join a winning franchise. In the past two years alone, the organization has dealt a total of five draft picks for defensive ends Jadeveon Clowney and Carlos Dunlap as well as All-Pro safety Jamal Adams, acquiring three premier talents who sought fresh starts elsewhere.

Already this offseason, the Seahawks have been linked to former Falcons receiver Julio Jones, who ultimately was traded to the Titans, as well as Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who wants a new contract and didn't report for mandatory minicamp.

With the start of training camp less than six weeks away, another All-Pro talent in Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard looks to be pulling some strings behind the scenes attempting to facilitate a trade. Naturally, speculation has already begun linking the Seahawks to the star defender as a possible destination.

Carroll has been outspoken throughout the offseason about his excitement in regard to a looming competition at cornerback in August and the team has made some intriguing moves at the position, signing veterans Ahkello Witherspoon and Pierre Desir while also using a fourth-round pick on Tre Brown. But there's no doubt acquiring Howard would provide Seattle with a substantial upgrade over the players currently listed on the depth chart.

Set to turn 28 years old in July, Howard has been one of the NFL's best playmaking cornerbacks since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2016. According to Pro Football Focus, nearly 19 percent of his total targets in five NFL seasons have resulted in an interception or a pass deflection, the highest rate for any corner with 150 or more targets during that span.

Bouncing back from an injury-plagued 2019 season, Howard rebounded by leading the NFL with 10 interceptions and 20 passes defensed in 2020, continuing to show off his elite ball skills. He also set a new career-high with 51 tackles and per Pro Football Reference, opposing quarterbacks posted a poor 48.3 passer rating and completed only 51.5 percent of their passes when targeting him in coverage.

Two years earlier, Howard enjoyed his initial breakout season for Miami, intercepting seven passes and recording 12 passes defensed in only 12 games. After earning his first Pro Bowl selection, he received a lucrative five-year, $75.25 million extension that briefly made him the highest-paid cornerback in football.

But since then, several cornerbacks have surpassed Howard in annual salary, including his own teammate in Byron Jones as well as Rams superstar Jalen Ramsey and Bills star Tre'Davious White. As a result, he's been dissatisfied with his current contract, reportedly seeking a raise following his first All-Pro selection last season and opting to stay home during mandatory minicamp.

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, extensions given to other Dolphins have led to Howard being "even more dug in" pursuing a new deal. Even with fines of $50,000 per missed practice, this could mean a long holdout is on the horizon when camp arrives in late July.

While Miami could decide to give in and sign Howard to a new contract, a trade shouldn't be ruled out. In fact, one team reportedly called to inquire about his availability at the trade deadline last October and though the team denied the assertion, according to Jackson, the cornerback himself may have been pushing buttons unsuccessfully trying to force them to unload him.

If the Dolphins were to make Howard available, or at least be willing to speak with other teams about moving him, Schneider would certainly make the call. He never misses out on a chance to potentially add talented players to the Seahawks' roster and Howard's arrival would clearly elevate the team's secondary to another level. They haven't had a ball-hawking corner of his caliber since Richard Sherman departed after the 2017 season and his skill set fits their scheme quite well.

But in reality, while Schneider has never been afraid to roll the dice and always keeps the door open for making aggressive moves, the chances of a Howard-to-Seattle trade coming to fruition are close to impossible.

For one, the Dolphins likely won't be - and shouldn't be - willing to part ways with one of the NFL's best cornerbacks unless a suitor offers up at least a first-round pick in exchange. Due to their blockbuster deal for Adams last July, the Seahawks currently do not have a first rounder in 2022 and could only offer a future first round selection or a 2022 second-round pick as maximum compensation.

Most importantly, even if Seattle decided to trade its 2023 first-round pick and additional draft capital for Howard, fitting his contract into the team's budget would be near-impossible, especially with Adams needing a new contract. He carries cap hits of at least $13.4 million in each of the next three seasons and as a friendly reminder, he wants a new deal with more money. Cap guru Matt Thomas has a magic touch, but even he may not be able to squeeze such a contract into the books.

Sure, the Seahawks could re-structure quarterback Russell Wilson's contract and create an instant $12.6 million in cap space. That would be achievable. This would allow the franchise to absorb Howard's deal in 2021, but such a decision would also kick Wilson's cap hit to the next two seasons, giving them less flexibility in the future to take on massive contracts for Adams and Howard.

It's also worth noting that acquiring Howard would present risk beyond his financial demands. Injuries have been problematic for him throughout his NFL career, as he missed nine games as a rookie with a meniscus tear, sat out the final four games of the 2018 season with a knee injury, and then missed 11 games in 2019, eventually undergoing season-ending knee surgery. Though he was healthy last year, there are legitimate questions about his durability and longevity.

Keeping all of those factors in mind, even if the Dolphins do explore the idea of trading Howard, the Seahawks simply don't have the resources necessary to swing a trade of this magnitude right now for a player with a checkered injury history. If they still want to improve the cornerback group before training camp - they may be perfectly content with who they have - dealing for Gilmore seems a bit more feasible and Sherman remains unsigned as a free agent.