Don't expect the Cincinnati Bengals to make a run at four-time Pro Bowler that's going to get cut
Cut season is here and one of the biggest names headed for the chopping block is Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl cornerback, Xavien Howard.Word is Howard will be released when the new league year starts on March 13. He'll turn 31 in July, but remains an effective cornerback if used properly. His ability to mirror receivers […]
Cut season is here and one of the biggest names headed for the chopping block is Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl cornerback, Xavien Howard.
Word is Howard will be released when the new league year starts on March 13. He'll turn 31 in July, but remains an effective cornerback if used properly.
His ability to mirror receivers in man-to-man coverage slipped, maybe because he wasn’t 100 percent healthy (he missed four games). His speed and suddenness to catch up was only evident in flashes. He would fit best in a zone scheme where he can play off technique and use his above-average ball skills and reactions to make plays. – Randy Mueller, The Athletic
Could Howard reunite with Lou Anarumo?
The Bengals defensive coordinator helped draft Howard and developed him as the Miami Dolphins defensive backs coach from 2016-2017.
However, the Year 2 version of Howard is much different from the soon-to-be Year 8 edition, so it's unclear how much "familiarity" there will be, overall. The key will be the relationship between the two and how well they got along during their time together in Miami.
There's also the fit. Howard definitely isn't the same man coverage corner he's been known to be. Per Pro Football Focus, Howard was targeted 18 times in man coverage and allowed 77.8% of them to be completed for 118-yards and a touchdown. Opposing quarterbacks averaged a 112.5 QB rating when targeting him in man and his ratio of 5.2 snaps per target to 6.7 snaps per reception is not ideal. If you're into grades, PFF gave him a man coverage grade of 38.3 for the regular season.
As we all know, Anarumo likes to mix it up when it comes to man and zone, so it's logical to assume he wouldn't want to reshape part of the defense just to bring in one guy who's on the back end of his career.
There's also the D.J. Turner II factor
The 2023 second-rounder had a pretty good rookie year and obviously Cam Taylor-Britt is the opposite guy on the perimeter – so bringing Howard in would disrupt Turner's development and potentially even both.
It wouldn't make a ton of sense to bring Howard in on a multi-year deal and even a one-year deal could really hamper Turner's development. And, when considering he's on a four-year deal that doesn't have a fifth-year option, it's even easier to see why affording him the proper time and space to develop is crucial.
Final word
The Bengals are still in their Super Bowl window and it's always important to maximize said window, but Howard isn't going to help that at this point in his career. Sure, the Bengals have over $51 million in cap space after hitting Tee Higgins with the franchise tag, but Joe Burrow's contract is really going to start taking effect in 2025 and there's obviously the eventual Ja'Marr Chase extension on the horizon.
In other words: The Bengals need to be very shrewd when it comes to their "all-in" moves.
Therefore, that means Howard won't be a Bengal in 2024, or anytime thereafter.
