A six-pack of Miami Dolphins notes on a Thursday:
▪ Xavien Howard ended up making considerably more money than he would have without his August contract restructuring.
The question now is whether the Dolphin will agree to redo his deal again this offseason.
Howard requested a trade at the start of training camp before the Dolphins acquiesced to revisions of his deal, including giving him the chance to earn as much as $3.5 million more in incentives.
He has cashed in on the $1 million incentive for making the Pro Bowl and will make another $1 million for playing 90 percent of Miami’s defensive snaps.
He’s in line to earn another $500,000 in incentives — and possibly another $1 million beyond. So he will pocket $15.3 million or $16.3 million this season.
But when that restructure was done in training camp, Howard’s camp was left with the strong impression that his current deal — which runs through 2024 — would again be renegotiated in late February and early March.
When asked this week about how he feels about his future with the organization, Howard gave a measured, unemotional answer: “This my job. I’m here. I’m just doing my job. I’m still a Miami Dolphin. Until somebody says something, I’m a Miami Dolphin.”
Howard is due $12.97 million in 2022, with $6.8 million guaranteed.
His interceptions are down from 10 last season to four this season, but his overall play has been well above average. Pro Football Focus ranks him 32nd of 118 qualifying cornerbacks. Quarterbacks have a 91.6 rating in his coverage area.
Howard missed only one game this season. He played in every game last season after missing a combined 15 games in 2018 and 2019, primarily with knee issues.
So what changed to improve his durability?
“Probably just the way I took care of my body the last two years,” he said. “Just understanding the stuff that I’ve got to be strong at — especially my lower body. I feel like that was where most of my injuries were. This offseason, I’ll get back in the lab and I feel like I’ll work on my lower body.”
What do the Dolphins need to do to become a consistent playoff team?
“I think we have to win all three phases,” he said.
▪ Jaelan Phillips assessed his rookie season this way: “There was a lot of growth. I started off slow. I had to manage my own expectations and buy into the process. Ultimately, I had some success. I still have a ton to improve on.”
Phillips, who has 40 tackles and 8.5 sacks, has played 53 percent of Miami’s defensive snaps.
“It’s all about trust,” he said. “My goal coming into next season is solidify myself as a person that can be trusted on early downs. Eye patience is something I need to work on.”
Phillips won the team’s community service award on Thursday, a byproduct of his off-day work at Lotus House, which identifies itself as the largest homeless shelter for women and children in the country.
Meanwhile, Jevon Holland said his “rookie season was pretty good. Left some things on the table.” He said he wants to improve his “patience on the field. Being a lot more calm.”
▪ Running back Duke Johnson, an impending unrestricted free agent, said he has “no idea” if the Dolphins want to keep him beyond this season. “I would love to be here long-term. It’s home. Why not?”
Johnson has rushed 46 times for 213 yards (4.6 per carry) in four games, including three starts.
Tight end Durham Smythe, another impending free agent, also said he hasn’t been told if he will be offered a new contract.
Smythe set career highs in receptions (32) and receiving yardage (325). He has started 11 games in 2021 and 40 over his four-year career and played in 62 percent of Miami’s offensive snaps this season, up from 45 percent the past two years.
“I enjoy being here,” Smythe said. “There will be a lot more discussions going forward.”
▪ Per Stat Muse (via Five Reasons Sports), Christian Wilkins needs only nine tackles to break Rob Ninkovich’s record for most combined tackles from a defensive lineman in a single season. Ninkovich had 91 in 2013.
Wilkins leads all NFL linemen in tackles and is the first Dolphins lineman with at least 80 tackles since at least 200.
“Maybe at the end of the season, I’ll look up and be like, ‘That’s pretty cool.’ But I’m still locked in for this last week,” he said. “I’m not really thinking about that and who knows, maybe I’ll feel differently after this week.”
Pro Football Focus ranks Wilkins fourth-best among all NFL interior linemen this season. Where has he most improved?
“Just my overall knowledge of the game, understanding schemes, how offenses try to attack us,” he said.
His run defense also improved, though nobody played particularly well in that area against Tennessee.
▪ Wide receiver Mack Hollins won the annual Good Guy Award, voted on by Dolphins media.
Hopefully for Hollins, he won’t meet the same fate as several other previous Good Guy winners who (presumably coincidentally) were jettisoned months after winning the award. That group includes Jared Odrick, Mike Wallace, Reggie Bush, Yeremiah Bell, Ronnie Brown, Greg Camarillo, Vonnie Holliday, Andre Goodman, Ryan Fitzpatrick, T.J. McDonald and Jermon Bushrod.
Jerome Baker is one Good Guy winner who was retained by the team.
Hollins, in receiving the award, said: “I try to be as open as I can with you all. It probably gets me in trouble a lot with coach.”
▪ Quick stuff: Emmanuel Ogbah said New England coach Bill Belichick “found a gem in the draft” in quarterback Mac Jones: “He’s a really good player for them.”…
Linebacker Elandon Roberts, who won the Ed Block Courage Award, said of the Dolphins training staff: “I can’t describe how I feel for those people.” Roberts came back from a torn ACL (and Jan. 3 surgery) to be ready for the start of the season….
CBS is sending Sunday’s Dolphins-Patriots game to a limited audience, including only three Florida stations (Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Naples-Ft. Myers).