The Miami Dolphins’ contractual conundrum with Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard has been solved.
Howard agreed to a restructured contract on Sunday, per agent David Canter.
“We’re excited,” coach Brian Flores said. “We want all sides to be happy. We wanted him here and he’s here.
“I wouldn’t say there was much level of concern. On our side, there definitely were concessions.. Any negotiation, compromise is important. We want both sides to be happy and that’s the case right now.”
Howard seemed pleased but reserved and brief in comments after practice.
“Got the deal done,” he said. “It feels great to be out here with my team. I’m always happy to be here to be with the team practicing. I’m always happy to be here with the team that drafted me, sticking through the ups and downs.”
The Dolphins and Howard reached a compromise in which Howard received a potential $3.5 million in new incentives for 2021 and more guaranteed money for 2022.
Previously, his $12.375 million salary in 2022 wasn’t guaranteed at all; now $6.775 million of that salary is guaranteed. And the entire salary is guaranteed for 2022 if he sustains a serious injury this season.
According to a league source, here’s what the Dolphins gave him for 2021, which could raise his compensation from $12.7 million (fully guaranteed) to $16.2 million this season:
1) He gets $1 million in he makes the Pro Bowl or is an All Pro this season.
2) If Howard attains stats that are 70 percent above the team’s three worst categories, he gets another $750,000.
3) He will get another $750,000 in incentives if he plays 80 percent of the Dolphins’ defensive snaps
4) If he plays 90 percent of Miami’s defensive snaps, he gets another $1 million.
The Dolphins agreed to rescind $93,000 in fines from missed mini camp in June:
For 2022, Howard received more concessions:
1) The Dolphins moved his per game roster bonuses of $500,000 in 2022 to base salary and made it guaranteed for injury.
2) His workout bonus of $100,000 was removed and converted to base salary in 2022 and the Dolphins made it guaranteed for injury.
3) More than half of Howard’s 2022 salary is now fully guaranteed. That’s $6.775 million. The remainder would become guaranteed the first day of the league year next March.
4) And Howard’s $12.975 million salary for 2022 becomes fully guaranteed if he sustains a major injury this season.
Canter also received what he interpreted as assurances that the deal will be renegotiated in late February or early March, in line with the marketplace and based on health and performance. But it’s unclear if the Dolphins perceive that assurance the same way that Howard does.
Howard declined to discuss if he wants the contract re-done after this season. “Just worried about this year,” he said.
Asked his reaction to the terms of the agreement that was reached, Howard said: “I was happy about the whole situation, happy to be here competing with the team...
“At the end of the day we got it done. All the other stuff not even worried about it. I’m just happy to be here.... David hit me up and told me we got a good deal. We got the job done... Deal got done. I’m here with the team. That’s what it’s all about.”
The Dolphins initially had been hesitant to restructure Howard’s five-year, $75.5 million deal (that was signed in May 2019). But the sides reached a compromise on Saturday night.
Howard had asked to be traded on the first day of training camp and has practiced only twice in nine days since, with the team citing an ankle injury as the reason for his absence. He returned to practice on Saturday in a move that was well received by the Dolphins.
Canter said he wants “to thank coach Flores, [general manager] Chris Grier and [Dolphins executive] Brandon Shore for doing something unexpected and difficult to say the least. Many times over the past eight months we all did not expect anything to happen. The organization handled us with absolute class and professionalism.”
Howard had wanted to be paid more than Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones.
If Howard cashes in on some of the 2021 incentives, he will be paid more than Jones this season.
Jones is due $14 million this season; Howard definitely will make $12.7 million and that figure could reach $16.3 million if all incentives are attained.
Also, the gap between guaranteed money between the players has closed.
Jones is due $55.3 million from 2021 through 2024, though only $20 million of that is guaranteed ($14 million in 2021, $6 million in 2022).
Howard is due $49 million from 2021 through 2024 (plus the $3.5 million in new incentives this season), and now $19.4 million is guaranteed.
Howard took some 11 on 11 snaps on Sunday and stripped Isaiah Ford - preventing a touchdown - in red zone drills.
“Knocking a little rust out,” he said of the ankle injury that sidelined him more than a week. “I wouldn’t call it a holdout. New CBA you can’t hold out. Different way you can call it. Just happy to be out here.”
Howard would have been fined $50,000 a day if he hadn’t reported for the start of training camp.
