Miami Dolphins’ Decide To Release Xavien Howard: Jalen Ramsey Expresses His Strong Disapproval And Calls Him The Greatest Cornerback In Miami’s History
Jalen Ramsey expressed his strong disapproval of the Miami Dolphins’ decision to release Xavien Howard, calling him the greatest cornerback in Miami’s history.
Ramsey, who played alongside Howard for one season, criticized a former member of the Dolphins’ organization for not utilizing their full skill set.
Although Ramsey did not specify the person, many believe he was referring to former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
Fangio recently left the Dolphins to join the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Dolphins had a solid defense last season, ranking 10th in yards allowed per game but surrendering the 11th-most points per contest.
In a social media post Friday, Ramsey called Howard the greatest cornerback in Miami history before appearing to throw shade toward one former member of the Dolphins organization.
“I won’t ever forgive dude for not utilizing our full skill set,”
The team’s head coach, Mike McDaniel, stated that parting ways with Fangio was the best path forward.
Ramsey still has two years remaining on his contract, while Howard will become an unrestricted free agent.
The Dolphins informed Howard that he will be released at the start of the new league year, saving the team $18.5 million in cap space. However, this savings will only be available for use on June 2 due to the nature of the release.
Howard, despite being disappointed, expressed his gratitude to the Dolphins and his determination to come back stronger.
Since entering the NFL, Howard has been one of the league’s top shutdown corners, with 29 interceptions since 2016, the most of any cornerback and tied for fourth-most in Dolphins’ history.
He made four Pro Bowl appearances and was named an All-Pro in 2020.
Injuries have affected his performance in recent years, including a groin injury in 2022 and a mid-foot sprain in 2023 that caused him to miss games, including a playoff loss to the Chiefs.
Additionally, Howard’s contract situation put him at risk of being cut, with no guaranteed money after the 2023 season.
He expressed uncertainty about his future and reluctance to take a pay cut.
The Dolphins had a decision to make regarding Howard’s $15.4 million 2024 base salary, with $4 million set to be guaranteed.
Cutting him before June 1 would have resulted in limited cap space for the team.
The Dolphins now face a need for a cornerback, as there are no established players behind Jalen Ramsey, who returned from injury in 2024.
Other cornerbacks under contract include Kader Kohou, Cam Smith, Ethan Bonner, and Keion Crossen, but they have limited experience or injury concerns.
The Dolphins have also announced the release of defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, yielding significant cap savings.
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