X Howard still not right

Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard is still not ready to return to practice some eight months after undergoing knee surgery for an injury that ended his season after just five games.

The Dolphins placed Howard on the physically unable to perform list Tuesday, the first day veterans were allowed to report to the team for COVID-19 testing.

Howard can come off the list at any point during training camp once he’s cleared to resume football activities. If the Dolphins do not take him off the list by Week 1, he will have to miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season.

Former University of Miami Hurricanes cornerback Chad Wilson — whose offseason defensive backs camp drew Bobby McCain, Eric Rowe and several other Dolphins this month — usually spends the offseason working with Howard, but Howard instead has been working with the Dolphins medical staff this offseason as he makes his way back from a November knee operation that was more serious than a simple cleanup, according to a league source.

The roadblocks to return for Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard keep mounting.

Already on the physically unable to perform list with a lingering knee issue, Howard on Tuesday was placed on the league’s reserve/COVID-19 list.

That designation bars him from entering the team facility — where he has been rehabbing his 2019 knee surgery — until he passes the necessary protocols to return.

Cornerback Xavien Howard, who’s working on the side, remained on the COVID-19 list for a 15th consecutive day. He’s also still on the PUP list after December knee surgery.

Joe Schad
@schadjoe
Big day for Xavien Howard. He is now off both the reserve/COVID-19 and active/physically unable to perform lists. Howard has two weeks to see if he can make it back for New England.
4:19 PM · Aug 27, 2020 from Parkland, FL

JMP wrote:Yeah, this whole Howard situation is really strange. I don't know what's going on with him.

Drafting Iggy seems smarter every day...

white1 wrote:A couple key takeaways here from your Resident Optimist:

- Having an injury prone but probowl caliber player is NOT a bad thing.
- What's bad is turning a blind eye to the risk and assume the team will have good luck in the coming season.
- The Fins didn't do this.  Not only did they break the bank for ANOTHER high quality free agent corner, they invested a first round pick in the position as well.  
- We now have good high-end corner depth in Jones, Iggy, McCain (thinking slot then a #2 safety steps up) - and a solid second tier in Needham, Perry, Tae Hayes.  

Worse case, if X Howard never is able to play a full season again, the team continues to groom the depth we've built and when it makes sense contract wise we cut ties.  Cannot blame the team here - Howard has proven to be an excellent corner.  Sometimes injuries derail the best of careers, unfortunately we saw that happen with Jake Long.