Peter King Expects Dolphins to Get Trade Calls on Xavien Howard at NFL Deadline

Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard could draw some interest from teams ahead of the Nov. 2 NFL trade deadline.

Peter King of NBC Sports reported he expects the Dolphins to field calls for Howard, who has sought out a new contract. The Dolphins are 1-7 after Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Howard is under contract through the 2024 season, so there's no real urgency from the Dolphins' side to make a trade. The two-time NFL interceptions leader has recorded 23 tackles and had two picks through the first half of the 2021 campaign but has not played up to his previous form. Pro Football Focus has given him a replacement-level grade of 59.4 for the season. 

Howard requested a trade during the offseason but has seemingly changed his mind as the deadline approaches. 

The Dolphins are one of the NFL's biggest disappointments this season. They were expected to compete for a playoff spot after going 10-6 in 2020 but would need to win out in order to match their win total from last season, a highly unlikely event given their level of play through the first eight weeks.

Howard will undoubtedly draw some interest from teams looking to buy low, but the odds are he stays in Miami and the team hopes 2021 is a blip on the radar.