With Miami Dolphins star cornerback Xavien Howard , as announced on Wednesday, he also earned a $1 million bonus.
Howard and the Dolphins agreed to that number when he settled with the team on a restructured deal in training camp, ending his preseason trade request.
After his All-Pro 2020 season in which he led the NFL with 10 interceptions, Howard has put together another standout campaign. He has four interceptions, two forced fumbles, a pair of fumble recoveries, a touchdown, 40 tackles and 14 pass deflections.
Howard can be largely credited for two of the Dolphins’ first three wins and the ones that came against the toughest competition. Howard had the late forced fumble and recovery in Week 1 at New England to seal that victory, and his fumble return for a touchdown in the Nov. 11 win over the Baltimore Ravens sparked the Dolphins in that one.
His man-to-man coverage, along with opposite cornerback Byron Jones, has played a large role in allowing the Dolphins to freely blitz their safeties during the six-game winning streak they take into Monday night’s game at the New Orleans Saints. Miami has trusted its corners in single coverage and increased the pressure it brings on opposing quarterbacks.
“It’s a blessing to see a guy like that perform at the highest level that you see on a day-in-and-day-out basis,” Jones said. “He’s a ballhawk. He’s a smart player. He’s grown in so many ways since I’ve been here. There’s no one more deserving to get that award on the defensive side. He’s always making an impact.”
In addition to the $1 million bonus for a Pro Bowl or All-Pro season, as Howard’s agent, David Canter, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel , Howard is in line to receive other incentives. He gets $750,000 when he reaches 70% of defensive snaps played and another $750,000 if he hits 80%. If he reaches 90%, he gets another $1 million.
Howard missed one game, the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, but he played 100 percent of snaps in eight games, more than 90 percent in three others and greater than 80 percent in the other two.
Howard’s fully guaranteed money for 2021, before incentives, was $12,785,294, and the maximum he can earn with incentives is $16,285,294.
In August, Howard became what is believed to be the first player in NFL history to have a deal redone or adjusted with four years left on the contract, according to Canter.
Other Pro Bowl notes
Howard was the only Dolphin to be selected on Wednesday night.
Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle may be on pace for a rookie receptions record with 86 and three games left to catch Anquan Boldin’s 2003 mark of 101, but he was not among the four AFC receivers initially selected for the Pro Bowl.
Those were: Kansas City Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill, Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase, Buffalo Bills’ Stefon Diggs and Los Angeles Chargers’ Keenan Allen.
Chase was one of the rookies Miami passed up on in the past draft when it traded back from the No. 3 pick, which belonged to the Houston Texans, to select sixth after trades with the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles that netted the Dolphins an extra future first-round pick. Another rookie selected ahead of Waddle in that exchange, Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts, also made the Pro Bowl in the NFC.
Among other Dolphins that could be viewed as snubs are defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah (32 tackles, seven sacks, forced fumble, fumble recovery and 10 pass deflections) and rookie safety Jevon Holland (51 tackles, two interceptions, two sacks, two forced fumbles).
Players still could be added to Pro Bowl rosters as replacements ahead of the all-star exhibition on Feb. 6.
Injury report
As and three new names were added to the Dolphins reserve/COVID-19 list — linebacker Duke Riley, center Greg Mancz and tight end Cethan Carter — Miami also still had receiver Albert Wilson away, attending a personal matter.
Running back Phillip Lindsay (ankle) and tight end Adam Shaheen (knee) were both listed as limited on Thursday in an estimation from the day’s walkthrough.
For the Saints, both starting tackles — Terron Armstead or Ryan Ramczyk — were estimated as non-participants in their Thursday walkthrough as both deal with knee injuries. Defensive end Marcus Davenport (shoulder) and wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith (shoulder) were both limited.
, guard James Carpenter, linebacker Kaden Elliss, safety Jeff Heath, defensive end Jalyn Holmes, safety Malcolm Jenkins, tackle Jordan Mills and defensive tackle Christian Ringo landed on New Orleans’ COVID list on Thursday.
