Dolphins Deny Xavien Howard Trade Rumors; Call Report 'Factually Inaccurate'

The Miami Dolphins refuted trade rumors surrounding cornerback Xavien Howard.

"The report in the South Florida Sun Sentinel is factually inaccurate and based on rumors," the team said to the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson on Tuesday. "The paper practiced poor journalism by not reaching out to the team for comment or the chance to respond to the story. We are not exploring any trades regarding Xavien Howard."

The Sun Sentinel's Omar Kelly reported Tuesday the Dolphins "discussed whether or not standout cornerback Xavien Howard will be part of the franchise's future, even though the organization signed him to a five-year deal worth $75.25 million before the 2019 season."

The Palm Beach Post's Joe Schad corroborated the report.

Jackson provided more context for the Dolphins' statement:

As Kelly alluded to, a Howard trade would be surprising given how recently he signed his extension.

The contract isn't something general manager Chris Grier and head coach Brian Flores inherited, either. Grier has been the GM since January 2016, so he's had plenty of experience with Howard. Flores came aboard in February 2019, so he presumably had some input as well despite not having coached Howard yet.

In December 2019, Howard was charged with domestic battery. Prosecutors dismissed the charge in February when his fiancee said she didn't want to pursue the case, and the NFL declined to suspend Howard.

The 27-year-old has rebounded from a knee injury that limited him to five games in 2019. Through six appearances, he has 10 tackles and six passes defended and is tied for the league lead with four interceptions.

When ESPN's Jeremy Fowler ranked the top cornerback pairings, Howard and Byron Jones came in at No. 3.

"He's not a perfect corner, but he's got rare instincts to make plays on the ball, and that's a premium right now," one NFC executive said of Howard.

Especially as they look to turn the corner with Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, the Dolphins would seemingly have little reason to court trade offers for Howard.

The trade deadline is 4 p.m. ET Nov. 3. It's plausible that teams have reached out to Miami about Howard, and they might continue to do so. But the Dolphins were definitive in where they stand on the matter.