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For those who missed it, Xavien Howard officially requested a trade from the Miami Dolphins on July 28. He's been frustrated with his contract situation and has been looking to make amends. The Dolphins have not worked with him in terms of the trade request, thus leading to his holdout.
After holding out for a large chunk of the offseason, and with no response from his team, Howard decided that enough was enough.
While he is upset with his contract, what are the figures that prompted the All-Pro cornerback to want out? Here's an in-depth look at Xavien Howard's contract.
Xavien Howard's contract: What gives?
According to Spotrac, Xavien Howard signed a five-year, $75 million contract in 2019. The contract runs through the 2024 season and came with a $7 million signing bonus and about $15 million on average. A total of $27 million is guaranteed at signing with $39 million total guaranteed.
Xavien Howard's first problem is with the dead cap starting in 2022. The dead cap is what a player is owed if the team decides to cut the player. A dead cap higher than a salary is how players ensure their job security. However, Howard is now entering the danger zone, as his dead cap is a small fraction of his salary.
Essentially, the Dolphins now have a financial reason to move on from him at any time, as soon as his play dips.
The dead cap will continue to shrink as Howard ages, giving the Dolphins even more reason to move on from him as he approaches and crosses the 30-year-old line. Howard knows it will be harder to keep up his playing quality in his 30s. Put simply, the contract shapes up badly for Howard going forward.
In addition, Xavien Howard is looking at a level of compensation in comparison to his production and that of similar-caliber players. Last season, Xavien Howard had ten interceptions. However, he is only the second-highest paid cornerback on the team, according to Spotrac.
While Xavien Howard is expected to pull in $13.5 million this year, Byron Jones is expected to pull in more. In 2021, Jones will make $16.1 million. While Howard had ten interceptions in 2020, Jones only had two. This is another reason for Howard wanting out.
