The Indianapolis Colts have signed former Miami Dolphins all-pro cornerback Xavien Howard to a one-year, $5M contract.
Howard's agent David Canter announced Monday on X: "Reunited and it feels so good. Congratulations to @aurasportsgroup client @Iamxavienhoward on signing with @Colts"
The eight-year veteran, who last played in 2023, will serve to add depth to a Colts cornerbacks room that features Charvarius Ward, and the injured Kenny Moore II (knee), Jaylon Jones and JuJu Brents (hamstring), among others.
Howard entered the league as a second-round pick by the Dolphins in the 2016 NFL Draft. He was a four-time Pro Bowl selection through his first eight seasons, and earned a first-team All-Pro selection in 2020.
Miami signed the CB to a new five-year contract in 2022, which brought the total value of his deal to $90 million. At the end of the 2023-24 campaign, however, he sustained a Lisfranc injury to his left foot and was released after the season; and also sat out in 2024.
Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who served as the Dolphins' defensive backs coach during Howard's first two seasons with the team (2016-17), said on Monday: "He can go get the ball. And he's proven that throughout his NFL career that he's been an elite interceptor. So, we're hoping -- we'll give him some time to get back into football shape, because that takes a while -- but we're hoping that we can get some of those interceptions going .. I just feel good about it, the athlete that he is. Maybe you could look at it as his legs got a year to rest. One thing I know is his ball skills and those things, they don't go away, and he still has those."
The Colts will face the Bengals in their preseason finale at 1 p.m. EDT Saturday in Cincinnati; and will host the Dolphins in their regular season opener Sept. 7 in Indianapolis.
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