Xavien Howard leaves Miami Dolphins practice with ‘minor injury’; returns as observer

<div><figure> <img alt="Los Angeles Chargers v Miami Dolphins" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rnNkpmgtnQVhgmenx03slPx32TI=/0x0:4683x3122/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69651099/1286344901.0.jpg"> <figcaption>Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images</figcaption> </figure> <p id="z7ukBA">Every day, it seems like there’s a new twist and turns in the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Miami Dolphins</a>' ongoing contract dispute with All-Pro cornerback Xavien Howard. </p> <p id="o716OQ">Today, ‘minor injury’ has entered the <strong>chat. </strong></p> <p id="Ikng5J">According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Xavien Howard left practice with what is being reported as a minor injury and did not return. </p> <div id="4V24Zc"> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">Per source, Xavien Howard not practicing because of minor injury <a href="https://t.co/MKLTW9kaTK">https://t.co/MKLTW9kaTK</a></p>— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) <a href="https://twitter.com/flasportsbuzz/status/1420764075341013003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2021</a> </blockquote> </div> <p id="zNuzn1">Now forgive me if it sounds like I’m poking fun at the injury. There’s nothing funny about a player being hurt. But after appearing fully healthy a day ago and seemingly having no issues, this seems <em>strange. </em>And the timing—amidst a contract dispute—is something we often see in contract negotiations.</p> <p id="12qT10">Again, there’s a chance Xavien Howard is indeed injured. I’ll be the first to say I was wrong and already admit it may be ignorant. But there have been rumblings (on Twitter) that maybe, just maybe, this was the next step in contract negotiations. </p> <div id="SO3Y0q"></div> <p id="0TKLrO">Time will tell how long Xavien Howard is out. But for a team currently missing several key players due to injury, not having your star cornerback is not the best news at the start of the season. </p> <p id="PnPTyW">Then again, none of this matters if second-year cornerback Noah Igbinoghene is as good as advertised. And I told myself time and time again; I would never count out Nik Needham. </p> <p id="4vXaB9"><em>What are your thoughts on Xavien Howard’s ‘minor injury’? Who do you think will fill the void on the boundary if he does miss time or is traded? Let us know in the comments section below!</em></p></div>