Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores was drilled with seven consecutive questions on All-Pro cornerback Xavien Howard and his contract dispute with the team, and he answered every single one of them on Friday afternoon.
Flores made a firm statement regarding the team’s stance as Howard requested a trade from the organization at the start of training camp.
“We don’t want to trade X,” Flores said. “Write that down.
“He’s a very good player. He’s a great part of the team. We don’t want to trade X.”
Howard’s unhappiness stems from the contract extension he signed in 2019 while several other cornerbacks now make more than him, including teammate Byron Jones. The way their two deals are structured, Jones will make $16 million more than Howard between the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
Flores continues to say the Dolphins are making progress with Howard in their conversations with him.
“I talk to X pretty much every day,” Flores said. “I think every conversation is productive. We got into specifics of X’s and O’s, contracts, things of that nature. I think they’ve been productive. Like I said last week, I think we’re moving in the right direction, and we’ll just continue to keep talking to him and his representation.
“I think we want these things to happen quickly. We want them to happen right now, but some things take time, and we’ll work through it and, hopefully, come to the best resolution for all sides.”
When pushed, Flores wouldn’t get into greater specifics or discuss what teams have reached out to the Dolphins about potential trades.
“Talks are progressing [with Howard],” he said. “I’m not going to get into the details of those conversations, but talks are progressing. You take for that what you want. Again, these things, they take time. But as long as the lines of communication are open, as long as everyone is willing to compromise, then we can get something done.”
Howard had missed the team’s previous three practices with what Flores was calling a setback to an ankle injury, but Howard was back on the field for Friday afternoon’s walkthrough, which didn’t involve much running. Flores added that, at the moment, Howard also would be expected to travel with the team to Chicago for next week’s joint practices with the Bears and preseason game on Aug. 14.
While he’s mainly watched team portions of practice on the sideline, second-year cornerback Noah Igbinoghene was initially with the first team opposite of Jones. Since, Igbinoghene has been bumped down to second team, with longtime cornerback Jason McCourty, who started camp at safety, going back to corner and rookie Jevon Holland inserted at free safety.
“I think he’s working hard,” Flores said of Igbinoghene, whom the Dolphins took with one of three first-round picks in the 2020 draft. “He’s doing all the right things in the meetings, in the walkthroughs. We just need to continue to work on the techniques, the fundamentals, believe in the techniques and fundamentals, abide by those techniques and fundamentals, practice, and I think, over time, he’ll have success. He’ll get better.
Flores said Howard has done “a nice job” being around teammates, coaches and staff in the midst of the dispute.
“I think he’s been very supportive of his teammates,” Flores said. “He’s been attentive in meetings. I think you see him on the field coaching guys up, young guys.”
Howard’s Dolphins teammates have spoken throughout the first week of camp how they support Howard in his endeavor, and Flores has seen it in their interactions on the field.
“You hear these guys talk, they’re very supportive of X,” Flores said. “He’s a very good teammate. There’s relationships that have been built since I’ve been here and longer in some instances.”
Cornerback Nik Needham, who has gotten work on the boundary and inside in the nickel echoed that sentiment.
“He always gives me tips,” Needham said. “He’ll tell me, when I dropped the pick the other day, ‘You got to catch that.’ … He’s always on my head, so it’s good to have him out there. He always coaches me up a little bit.”
