Howard Making Progress On Return To Field

[DKphin]

[h=3]Rookie cornerback hasn’t played in a game since sustaining an injury in practice the week of the Tennessee game in Week 5.[/h]While neither Xavien Howard nor Adam Gase was making any predictions Friday, there were some encouraging signs after the rookie second-round pick’s first week of practice in almost two months.

The best sign perhaps was that Howard wasn’t listed as out for the game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, but rather as doubtful.

Even though Howard still isn’t likely to play against the 49ers, that designation could be seen as a sign he’s on his way back to the playing field.

“I can’t predict when, if he’s coming back some part of the season,” Gase said Friday. “Obviously we’d all love for that to happen, but we’re going to really lean on our medical people and him to kind of let us know when the right timing is.

“As far as how he looked (in practice), I thought it was about right for what he has to do the last few weeks. You get out there, you start doing some different things movement-wise and anytime that you start getting around other players and you’re going against a guy, it’s just a different feel for him. He’s one of those guys, he’s always going to work as hard as he can to try to get himself back. He’s trying to get that feel and we’ll just kind of see how it goes here in the next few weeks.”

Howard hasn’t played in a game since sustaining an injury in practice the week of the Tennessee game in Week 5.

He said he had no apprehension about resuming practice and was happy with how things went this week.

http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/a...To-Field/f9ca789b-da4d-483c-838d-331c122242de

 

[Digital]

Loved the kid in the draft cycle and posted about him many times. Ecstatic about the pick. I have been super-happy with his work ethic and absorption of VJ's teachings. He came out early and has been an instantly dominant player in college and now instantly effective in the NFL. I can only imagine how well he would have been doing if he had a full training camp and a full rookie year without injuries. Later this year makes me very confident, but next year, X. Howard can become the Miami shut down corner for the next decade.

 

[Sons Of Shula]

Loved the kid in the draft cycle and posted about him many times. Ecstatic about the pick. I have been super-happy with his work ethic and absorption of VJ's teachings. He came out early and has been an instantly dominant player in college and now instantly effective in the NFL. I can only image how well he would have been doing if he had a full training camp and a full rookie year without injuries. Later this year makes me very confident, but next year, X. Howard can become the Miami shut down corner for the next decade.

Kudos. I wasn't sold on him at draft time and was sour that we didn't get VH3, but Howard is a physical and sound CB that fits VJ's defense to a "T". Been a pleasure watching him play for us.

 

[xXwarXx]

A lot of people gated on this pick, i loved it and I didnt even expect him to be as good as he's been this quick. Press corners IMO is one of the hardest things to find in the draft or ever free agency. Just not many of these guys around.

Hate tannenbaum all you want. But if Howard is as good as we think he can be, and lippet develops, with Maxwell as the vet, tannebaum did a fantastic job building a secondary that can press. There just isn't many press corners to pick from in any draft. And if the other undrafred guy becomes something than mike really hit it out of the park at that position.

I personally wanted Artie burns in the second rnd bit he went in the 1st. But Howard has outshines him by a lot so far.

Good job by mike and the scout team on Howard. Press corner is one of the hardest positions to fill IMO, but in today's NFL, to truly be a shutdown defense, you can't do it without the press corners, its impossible with what offenses are doing today and what they allowed to do.

---------- Post added at 10:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:21 PM ----------

Kudos. I wasn't sold on him at draft time and was sour that we didn't get VH3, but Howard is a physical and sound CB that fits VJ's defense to a "T". Been a pleasure watching him play for us.

I liked Vernon too, he was supposed to be the most ready cb, and last I checked he was ranked one of the worst corners in the NFL by PFF.

I know you don't like PFF, but I think even you would agree being ranked the worst at least holds some merit.

 

[BlueFin]

A lot of people gated on this pick, i loved it and I didnt even expect him to be as good as he's been this quick. Press corners IMO is one of the hardest things to find in the draft or ever free agency. Just not many of these guys around.

Hate tannenbaum all you want. But if Howard is as good as we think he can be, and lippet develops, with Maxwell as the vet, tannebaum did a fantastic job building a secondary that can press. There just isn't many press corners to pick from in any draft. And if the other undrafred guy becomes something than mike really hit it out of the park at that position.

I personally wanted Artie burns in the second rnd bit he went in the 1st. But Howard has outshines him by a lot so far.

Good job by mike and the scout team on Howard. Press corner is one of the hardest positions to fill IMO, but in today's NFL, to truly be a shutdown defense, you can't do it without the press corners, its impossible with what offenses are doing today and what they allowed to do.

---------- Post added at 10:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:21 PM ----------



I liked Vernon too, he was supposed to be the most ready cb, and last I checked he was ranked one of the worst corners in the NFL by PFF.

I know you don't like PFF, but I think even you would agree being ranked the worst at least holds some merit.

I heard them discussing VH3 on Sirius NFL radio and they were talking about how hes improving of late.

 

[Phinatic8u]

I loved VH3, but the boy is small and wasn't a fit.

Howard, I could only imagine how he'd be along without injuries and having a full TC

 

[Blackcreekbandit]

I was definitely down on the pick at the time but the way the draft played out getting tunsil and Howard so far has been the best thing to happen to this franchise in a long time.

 

[hoops]

Miamis barely played press and howard played it even less...but yeah if hes healthy this is an absolute home run pick

Alpha corner stuff

 

[Digital]

I keep wondering if all the talk about the press scheme was talk or if there was a change of heart or whether we are waiting on something/someone before we implement it? We preached the wide 9's, and we have played it a significant amount. We talked press and brought in Maxwell and Howard who are both clearly press CB's ... and not played it. Was it a health issue with Howard, inability to find a slot CB who can play it, lack of faith in our safeties, poor execution in practice .... I've been very curious about that one.

VJ is good at mixing up coverages, and perhaps the press scheme makes him too predictable, but I'd sure like to know the rationale.

 

[hoops]

I would play maxwell in more press with more help over the top and howard in more off which he is terrific in

The safeties have a lot of run fits responsibilities in this defense though making press less likely

 

[j-off-her-doll]

I would play maxwell in more press with more help over the top and howard in more off which he is terrific in

The safeties have a lot of run fits responsibilities in this defense though making press less likely

That's how they liked to use him in Seattle. Press with Safety help. They'd go double-press more than VJ had, but Seattle can also feel great about Sherman in off - has great feet, instincts, and ball skills. I think Howard will improve his press technique, and in the future, but I agree that he looks best in off coverage as a rookie. At the time we drafted Howard, I noted that he stacked up very well with the group of CB's drafted ahead of him in every measurable way - production and physical tools. Ramsey was in his own class, and VH3 checked a few more boxes, depending upon how much you knock him for his suze. Apple, Burns, and Jackson III, though, could only be moved ahead of Howard via tape. That's not an argument against tape - just people's ability to decipher it.

 

[Danny]

I wish he hadn't missed all this time and would have loved seeing him play with Jones back there which didn't happen either. I can't wait for the day we draft a player with our first or 2nd round pick that comes in and starts every freaking game. Sick of all the injuries with our high picks every year.

Ozzy rules!!