Xavien Howard is one of several defensive players who's hoping for a new deal (or preferably to be traded, and then get a new deal), and he can make a strong case for it. Howard's coming off one of the best seasons by a defensive back this century.
Howard last year had 10 interceptions, and it wasn't necessarily a fluke -- he had 7 in 2018, before missing most of the 2019 season. Those 10 picks are tied for the most of any player since 2000. There have been only 43 other seasons with more than 7 in the last 21 years, so about two per year.
Two of those came last year, bolded in the table below: Howard and New England cornerback J.C. Jackson. Howard also led the league last year in passes defensed (that stat is shown in the last column, via pro-football-reference.com).
| INTERCEPTIONS, 2000-2020 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Year | Int | TD | PD |
| Xavien Howard | 2020 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
| Antonio Cromartie | 2007 | 10 | 1 | 18 |
| Champ Bailey | 2006 | 10 | 1 | 21 |
| Asante Samuel | 2006 | 10 | 0 | 24 |
| Ty Law | 2005 | 10 | 1 | 18 |
| Deltha O'Neal | 2005 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
| Ronde Barber | 2001 | 10 | 1 | 24 |
| Anthony Henry | 2001 | 10 | 1 | 17 |
| J.C. Jackson | 2020 | 9 | 0 | 14 |
| Tim Jennings | 2012 | 9 | 1 | 21 |
| Jairus Byrd | 2009 | 9 | 0 | 11 |
| Asante Samuel | 2009 | 9 | 0 | 16 |
| Darren Sharper | 2009 | 9 | 3 | 15 |
| Charles Woodson | 2009 | 9 | 3 | 18 |
| Ed Reed | 2008 | 9 | 2 | 16 |
| Darren Sharper | 2005 | 9 | 2 | 16 |
| Ed Reed | 2004 | 9 | 1 | 17 |
| Tony Parrish | 2003 | 9 | 0 | 18 |
| Brian Russell | 2003 | 9 | 0 | 11 |
| Kwamie Lassiter | 2001 | 9 | 0 | 15 |
| Deltha O'Neal | 2001 | 9 | 0 | 25 |
| Darren Sharper | 2000 | 9 | 0 | 17 |
| Kevin Byard | 2017 | 8 | 0 | 16 |
| Darius Slay | 2017 | 8 | 0 | 26 |
| Reggie Nelson | 2015 | 8 | 0 | 14 |
| Marcus Peters | 2015 | 8 | 2 | 26 |
| Richard Sherman | 2013 | 8 | 1 | 16 |
| Stevie Brown | 2012 | 8 | 0 | 11 |
| Richard Sherman | 2012 | 8 | 1 | 24 |
| Ed Reed | 2010 | 8 | 0 | 16 |
| O.J. Atogwe | 2007 | 8 | 1 | 12 |
| Nnamdi Asomugha | 2006 | 8 | 1 | 19 |
| Walt Harris | 2006 | 8 | 1 | 20 |
| Rashean Mathis | 2006 | 8 | 0 | 21 |
| Charles Woodson | 2006 | 8 | 1 | 20 |
| Champ Bailey | 2005 | 8 | 2 | 23 |
| Nathan Vasher | 2005 | 8 | 1 | 16 |
| Tory James | 2004 | 8 | 0 | 13 |
| Corey Chavous | 2003 | 8 | 1 | 14 |
| Brian Kelly | 2002 | 8 | 0 | 21 |
| Rod Woodson | 2002 | 8 | 2 | 16 |
| Doug Evans | 2001 | 8 | 1 | 19 |
| Ryan McNeil | 2001 | 8 | 0 | 16 |
| Dexter McCleon | 2000 | 8 | 0 | 19 |
Working against Howard is that he signed a big-money deal two years ago; he's on a five-year, $76.5 million deal. So maybe Miami is able to work out a slight bump (or perhaps guarantee more of his contract) to smooth things over. His departure, if things play out that way, would be a real negative for Miami's defense.
--Andy Richardson