It’s no secret that the Indianapolis Colts have been looking for stability in the secondary, following an injury-riddled training camp. On Monday, they signed All-Pro veteran and former Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It is a one-year deal worth up to $5 million, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The Dolphins released Howard for salary cap purposes in March 2024, just two years after he signed a $90 million contract extension to remain in Miami.
“In this business, you know how it goes,” Howard said. “It’s been eight years, and I’ve seen the business side of it so many times. Me and my agent talked about it before we signed our last deal that that’s how it was gonna happen, and it ended up happening. So I wasn’t surprised at all.”
Howard, 32, sat out the 2024 season recovering from a Lisfranc foot injury, but his track record in the NFL speaks for itself as he embarks on his next chapter with the Colts.
A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time interceptions leader, Howard had seven picks in 2018, and 10 in 2020. While he comes with some risk, the Colts needed to restore the proven veteran presence to the struggling unit.
Colts’ Secondary Outlook After Howard Signing
The Colts entered camp already thin at cornerback. Kenny Moore II has been sidelined with a knee injury, rookie Justin Walley has gone down with a torn ACL and a concussion, and third-year corners Jaylon Jones and JuJu Brents have battled hamstring issues.
Head coach Shane Steichen hasn’t shied away from the concern.
“We’re working through that,” Steichen said, per Joel A. Erickson of the IndyStar. “Obviously, we’ve got some injuries there that we’ve got to figure out there, for sure.”
Before signing Howard, the Colts had tried other veterans, including Tre Herndon and Duke Shelley.
Howard’s production had dipped in recent seasons, with injuries limiting him to 13 games in 2023 and lingering groin issues in 2022. Still, he leaves Miami as one of the most productive cornerbacks of his generation.
Howard Brings Experience and Versatility
Sure, there’s a risk. Howard is coming off a year of absence in 2024, has a history of injuries and has faced off-field legal issues.
That said, it’s a quality football move for a mere $5 million at this stage of the offseason for a team that’s desperate. Howard also has a previous connection to first-year Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who coached him in Miami. That familiarity gives Indianapolis an advantage in integrating Howard quickly, as the regular season inches closer.
The career numbers are majestic for Howard: 29 interceptions, 95 pass deflections and a career completion rate allowed of just 55.9 percent.
For the Colts, the veteran edge was necessary at this stage of the summer. As the secondary remains in flux, Howard gives them a playmaker who’s thrived in press-man schemes in the past.
Anarumo is expected to have an impact, as well. The two can work through the tough battles together as the Colts drift more toward a reunion of a season opener against the Dolphins on September 7.
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