The Miami Dolphins seem prone to appease any issues Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard might have together with his contract this offseason.
Dolphins normal supervisor Chris Grier mentioned Wednesday he has already had a number of conversations with Howard because the finish of the 2021 season on the NFL scouting mix in Indianapolis.
“I’ve had multiple talks with Xavien this offseason,” Grier mentioned. “Had some texts back and forth. We’re going to have conversations and see if we can come to some sort of resolution. My anticipation is that Xavien will be here next year.”
Last offseason, Howard reached some extent the place he demanded a commerce from the group amid a contract dispute with the workforce. Although he nonetheless had 4 years remaining on his six-year, $77.2 million deal negotiated in 2019, he and the Dolphins added 2021 incentives that bought his totally assured determine for the season to $12,785,294 and the utmost he may earn with incentives to $16,285,294.
The restructure kicked the can down the street, however nonetheless permitting for a similar points to stay heading into this offseason.
Grier mentioned, nonetheless, there was a pledge from the group again then to return again round and tackle it.
“We had made the promise to him,” Grier mentioned. “After the season, we’ll make the adjustment: ‘We’ll look at it, play through the season, get us to the third year of the deal and then we’ll look at it, talk about it.’ Just to be truthful with him and do it, that’s the right thing to do. If he wants to come back and play on the deal, we would, but we know that’s not the case.”
After the Dolphins signed fellow cornerback Byron Jones within the 2020 offseason, Jones was set to make $16 million greater than Howard between the 2020 and 2021 seasons earlier than including the ensures and incentives for 2021.
Howard had a league-leading 10 interceptions in 2020 and was a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. In 2021, Howard had 5 interceptions, two pressured fumbles, a pair of fumble recoveries and two defensive touchdowns.
Settling Howard’s deal might be a focus within the subsequent month because the Dolphins look to maneuver with a league-leading $60 million in cap house without spending a dime company that begins on March 16.
“I think it provides opportunities for us to do a lot of different things, whether it’s free agency, trades and stuff,” Grier mentioned in regards to the flexibility. “We’re additionally not dwelling 12 months to 12 months. We’re making an attempt to even have some perspective.
“The opportunity to add good players, we’ve always been that way. We’ve always pursued and tried to do it. So, we’ll be aggressive still. If the right player, if [coach Mike McDaniel] and I feel the right player [is available] for us to help us get better and keep us moving forward, we’ll go after him. … That doesn’t mean we’ll spend every cent right up to it because I think that leads you to not being able to do moves in season.”
Topping the checklist on strikes with their very own free brokers earlier than the Dolphins delve deep into free company is what they’ll do with defensive finish Emmanuel Ogbah and tight finish Mike Gesicki.
“I would say we’ve probably had more discussions with Drew than Ogbah,” Grier mentioned. “Those are happening all all through the course of the season. … We know what [Ogbah] is. He’s an excellent man, good participant, good individual, matches all the factors we’re on the lookout for. He’s finished a pleasant job for us the final two years. … Mike is aware of how I really feel about him. I drafted him and have had separate conversations with Mike. We’ve had restricted talks together with his brokers.
“As it got to the end of the season with free agency, both of those guys get to this point, they want to be able to see what their options are. They both told us they want to be back in Miami. They both love it here. They want to be back. We’ll see what happens.”
Grier additionally acknowledged that Gesicki struggles with the blocking side of his recreation whereas excelling as a pass-catching tight finish.
One of the 2 between Gesicki and Ogbah could possibly be saved in Miami by use of the franchise tag.
“I think all options are open,” Grier mentioned. “With the coaching staff coming in, we’re just giving them the opportunity to look at the players and evaluate the guys we potentially might tag, but I think we have to leave all options on the table for us. That could be a potential move for us.”
Door shut on Watson
Grier voiced a dedication to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in his Wednesday feedback whereas shutting down the workforce’s earlier pursuit of Houston Texans’ elite however troubled quarterback Deshaun Watson.
“I think the door is shut on Deshaun,” Grier mentioned. “At the end of the day, Mike and the staff have come to do a lot of work and studied a lot of Tua and they feel good about his developmental upside, what he can be and then the fit in the offense. I think we’re good with Tua.”
Grier didn’t sound overly convincing, nonetheless, when requested if he nonetheless feels Tagovailoa can turn into an elite quarterback.
“I can’t say he can’t be,“ Grier mentioned. “It’s in a scenario now the place this might be constructed round his talent set and what the offense might be and Mike’s imaginative and prescient of how he matches. So, I wouldn’t say he can’t be. It’s too early.
“I know people want to say he doesn’t throw the ball downfield, but he’s incredibly accurate, and that’s the real exciting part for Mike and the coaching staff, his accuracy.”
On Payton, Brady report
Grier additionally addressed a current Pro Football Talk report that mentioned the Dolphins had been all for pursuing a mix of Sean Payton as coach and Tom Brady as quarterback.
Grier set the report straight, saying the Dolphins by no means appeared into Brady, however they did inquire about Payton as coach as he was retiring.
“I reached out to New Orleans a pair days after simply to see, ‘Is he done with football or does he want to coach?’ I don’t know what’s happening over there. And they simply advised us no, they weren’t going to grant permission. So that was it.
“We’ve always been, since I’ve been here, aggressive looking at options and he’s one of the best coaches in football and we were still in the middle of our interviewing process. We stopped to see if he would have interest at all. So, I don’t even know if he would have interest.” …
— Grier declined to touch upon Wednesday in regards to the lawsuit filed by former coach Brian Flores.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com