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Just days after requesting a trade, Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard has suffered an ankle injury that is set to keep him on the sidelines.
Howard has been linked to the Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle Seahawks since his trade request. But teams interested in trading for the veteran cornerback will undoubtedly be wary of this development and will monitor Howard's injury status before pulling the trigger on any move.
How long will the injury set back Howard? Was his injury an actual injury, or was there something else afoot? Here are some answers.
When will Xavien Howard return from injury?
According to NBC Sports, Howard's ankle injury is "minor." The Dolphins has decided to hold Howard out to let the ankle heal. The timetable for his return is unknown at this time. Those following the Michael Thomas ankle injury know that it tends to linger longer than anticipated.
But the timing of the injury is a little suspicious. During the offseason, it was clear that Xavien Howard was not happy with his current contract situation with the Miami Dolphins. He showed up to training camp and almost immediately tweaked his ankle.
Of course, coincidences are possible. However, there is a motive for Howard to feign injury to keep his distance from the Miami Dolphins.
Howard said in his statement that he didn't feel valued or respected by the Dolphins. The cornerback could have said that he tweaked his ankle to avoid risking a long-term injury with a team he no longer intends to play for.
Of course, this begs the question: why show up to training camp at all if he wants to leave the team? It could be that Howard showing up was a calculated move on his part to show he was willing to work. The injury serves as his get-out-of-jail-free card. This allows him to show other teams he can work without actually working.
That said, this is speculation. Was Howard injured? If he was, he could be back in just a few days. On the other hand, if his motivations are different, he could be out for an indefinite amount of time until he gets a new contract or is traded.
