The Cincinnati Bengals are hosting four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard on a free-agent visit on Monday, according to sources. The Bengals are currently on the outside looking in on the AFC playoff picture, but their defense could use some help and experience in the secondary as they look to make a late-season playoff push. In addition to Howard, Cincy is working out free-agent running back Leonard Fournette on Monday. The 31-year-old Howard played in 13 games for the Miami Dolphins last year but was slowed by a foot injury late in the season. He should be fully healthy at this point after not joining a team for the start of the 2024 season. In his 13 games with Miami in 2023, Howard had 45 tackles (36 solo), an interception and 12 pass breakups.
Former Miami Dolphins star cornerback Xavien Howard sent a male teenager a sexually explicit photograph of the teen's mother because she refused to get an abortion, a new court filing alleges. The allegation was made on Thursday in a lawsuit filed last year by a woman who is not the teenager's mother. The woman is accusing Howard of secretly recording them having sex and sharing the recordings with others. She said Howard also shared, without her consent, sex tapes she had agreed to make. Howard, 30, was released by Miami this offseason in a money-saving move and he remains a free agent. He is denying the claims, according to his attorney, Ted Craig. It remains to be seen if Howard will face any kind of suspension from the NFL.
Xavien Howard Fully Cleared For Football Activities
Free-agent cornerback Xavien Howard (foot) was fully cleared for football activities earlier in April, his doctor informed teams in a letter. Howard is currently a free agent and battled a foot injury last year that limited him to 13 games with the Miami Dolphins. In those 13 games, he had 45 tackles (36 solo), an interception and 12 passes defended. Now that the 30-year-old defensive back appears to be fully healthy, he should be able to sign with another team in advance of the 2024 season this fall. The four-time Pro Bowler was a second-round pick by the Dolphins in 2016 out of Baylor and has a total of 331 tackles (258 solo), two sacks, eight tackles for loss, 29 interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), 95 passes defended, four forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries (two returned for TDs) in his eight years in Miami.
The Miami Dolphins have informed cornerback Xavien Howard that he will be released at the start of the new league year next month, according to sources. The four-time Pro Bowler is expected to have significant interest on the free-agent market in 2024. Howard will be on the open market for the first time in his NFL career, with the Dolphins saving around $32 million in salary cap space with the move. The 30-year-old joins linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah, who the Dolphins are also planning to release before the new league year. Howard only played in 13 games for the Dolphins in his eighth and final year due to a foot injury, and he finished with 45 tackles (36 solo), one interception and 12 passes defensed.
Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard (foot) did not practice all week and has officially been ruled out for Saturday's wild-card playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs. For a banged-up Dolphins defense, safeties DeShon Elliott (calf) and Jevon Holland (knees) are also questionable. Eli Apple is expected to fill in with Howard now being forced to miss his second straight game. In addition to Miami's secondary being short-handed, the Dolphins also lost several key linebackers in their Week 18 loss to the Buffalo Bills and will be without their two best pass-rushers in Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips for the rest of the season as well. This is all good news for a Chiefs offense that took a big step backward during the 2023 campaign.
Xavien Howard, Other Defensive Backs Miss Practice
Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard (foot) and safeties Jevon Holland (knees) and DeShon Elliott (calf) all missed practice for the second straight day on Wednesday. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey (knee) was limited for a second straight day. Even against a Kansas City Chiefs offense that was down in 2023, Miami's banged-up defense isn't recommended on the road for wild-card weekend on Saturday. Head coach Mike McDaniel said on Monday that Miami isn't planning for Howard to play this weekend after he also missed Week 18. Eli Apple is going to have to play increased snaps in the secondary. The Dolphins also lost three linebackers to injuries in the regular season finale and will be without their two best pass-rushers against the Chiefs on Saturday night.
Dolphins "Not Planning" For Xavien Howard To Play Saturday
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said the team is "not planning" for cornerback Xavien Howard (foot) to play in Saturday's wild-card playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Linebackers Cam Goode (knee), Jerome Baker (wrist) and Andrew Van Ginkel (foot) will all miss the rest of the season. Goode tore his patellar tendon in Sunday night's loss to the Buffalo Bills, and Baker underwent wrist surgery on Monday. The Dolphins defense has been gutted by injuries late in the year and also lost pass-rusher Bradley Chubb (knee) to a torn ACL in Week 17. Howard was injured in Week 17 as well and won't require surgery, so the Dolphins will be hoping he can return to their secondary if the team advances to the Divisional Round with a victory this Saturday.
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has officially ruled out cornerback Xavien Howard (foot) for the Sunday night divisional showdown against the Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins are extremely beat up on both sides of the ball for a game that will decide the winner of the AFC East division. In addition to Howard being out, the Dolphins lost edge rusher Bradley Chubb (knee) to a torn ACL in last week's blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Miami's defense isn't recommended in DFS or season-long lineups against a Bills offense with plenty of firepower, especially after they just surrendered 56 points to the Ravens. Howard's absence in Miami's secondary will be good news for Bills quarterback Josh Allen and pass-catchers Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis and Khalil Shakir.
Dolphins "Not Planning" To Have Xavien Howard In Week 18
Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard (foot) left the Week 17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens early on Sunday in the first quarter with a foot injury, and head coach Mike McDaniel said on Monday that he's "not planning" to have Howard for their AFC East title game against the Buffalo Bills in Week 18. "The good news on 'X' is that it doesn't look like it will require surgery, what we found out today," McDaniel said. "So that was good, and because of that, it's kind of a week-to-week measure. We have to see how he responds. Feet at that position are just tricky. Each person's different so we'll take that with due diligence and press and assess." The Dolphins are in the playoffs regardless, so they will hope that Howard will be available for wild-card weekend in two weeks.
Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard (foot) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens. At the time of his departure, he had failed to register a tackle. The 30-year-old has missed just three games this season but could be headed for an extended absence if this injury turns out to be severe. Eli Apple should earn more snaps over the duration of his absence.