After Xavien Howard showed up at Miami's training camp on Tuesday, the All-Pro cornerback revealed in a statement later that evening he requested a trade.
"Until that trade happens I am just here so I don’t get fined,” Howard said, "and will handle myself like professionals do."
Players face a $50,000 per day fine from the NFL if they do not report to training camp. He had already lost over $119,000 during the offseason for missing the mandatory practices and forfeiting his workout bonus because he was unhappy with his current contract. Two years ago, Howard signed a $75.25 million, five-year extension.
In the subsequent years, Howard only played five games due to injury in 2019, but had a monumental season in 2020. He led the NFL with 10 interceptions and was an All-Pro last season. But, as Howard highlighted in his statement, he is the second highest paid cornerback on the team.
The team signed cornerback Byron Jones to a bigger deal in March 2020.
Howard made it clear that he and his agent never asked "for a completely new contract." Rather, they "wanted to work things out with the Dolphins, and brought solutions to the table."
"These were proposals of adjustments that wouldn't just make me feel more respected, but were also cap friendly," he said. "But the Dolphins refused everything we proposed.
"This is why I don't feel the organization has dealt with me in good faith. I don't feel valued, or respected by the Dolphins. Just like they can take a business-first approach, so can I."
