Reported asking price for CB Xavien Howard could intrigue the Vikings

Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard could be on the trade block again this season and the Minnesota Vikings could be a potential landing spot.

Earlier this year, there were rumors going around that the Miami Dolphins were possibly going to trade All-Pro cornerback Xavien Howard. Some Minnesota Vikings fans thought the purple and gold should’ve made a run at trying to acquire Howard, but the corner ended up remaining with the Dolphins.

However, Miami has started their season with a 1-5 record and a possible fire sale could be coming before this year’s trade deadline on November 2.

If the Dolphins are willing to deal Howard before this season’s deadline, should the Vikings be among the teams to make an offer for the cornerback? Well, what it would reportedly cost to acquire Howard is a price that Minnesota can definitely afford.

Reported asking price for Minnesota Vikings to land Miami Dolphins CB Xavien Howard is not extreme

With Patrick Peterson recently landing on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, the Vikings’ need for a cornerback is certainly much larger than it was a week ago.

Minnesota is probably going to attempt to roll with the corners they currently have on their roster to help make up for the loss of Peterson. But the Vikings still shouldn’t be counted out of making a possible trade for Howard, especially when the reported asking price to acquire him is something they can easily afford.

Since a team would have to take on Howard’s current cap hit of almost $14 million, Miami likely wouldn’t get anything better than a third-round draft pick in exchange for the corner unless they agreed to help reduce his cap hit according to Pro Football Network’s Adam Beasley on Wednesday.

Minnesota currently has a little less than $4 million in cap space, so they definitely would not be able to take on Howard’s current cap hit. But if the Dolphins agreed to possibly cut that cap hit in half, a $7 million cap hit is certainly much easier for the Vikings to figure out how to afford.

If Miami still has to take on some of Howard’s cap hit, would his asking price then bump up to at least a second-round pick? And if this is the case, would Minnesota still have interest in a potential trade?

When it comes to making deals, especially ones that involve cornerbacks, the Vikings can never be counted out for as long as general manager Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer are with the organization.

Trading for Howard still seems like a long shot for Minnesota since they would have to jump through a bunch of hoops just to be able to afford him.

But if another Vikings corner like Bashaud Breeland, Cam Dantzler, or Mackensie Alexander goes down with a significant injury before the trade deadline, Minnesota making a deal for Howard is something that would definitely become much more realistic.