The New York Jets are set to begin the 2024 NFL season with a tough Week 1 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football.
Needless to say, it will be a great test for the team right off the bat. Fans will get a good idea of just how talented the Jets actually are.
With that in mind, Joe Douglas and the front office are still likely keeping their eyes out for potential additions that could improve the team. One name has come up as a potential intriguing target.
Vincent Frank of SportsNaut has predicted that New York will end up landing veteran free agent defensive back Xavien Howard.
"The 31-year-old Howard is surprisingly still on the NFL free agent market. He’s earned four Pro Bowl trips throughout his career and has led the league in interceptions twice. That included picking off a whopping 10 passes with the Miami Dolphins back in 2020. Last season saw Howard yield a 81.3 QB rating when targeted. At issue here is a troubling allegation off the field. Even then, his on-field performance speaks for itself."
Howard would add even more playmaking potential to an already loaded secondary.
Defensively, the Jets are expected to compete for being the best unit in the NFL. Howard would provide quality depth.
That being said, as Frank mentioned, Howard is facing an off-the-field issue. It could be something that would impact New York's interest in bringing him onboard.
Throughout his career, Howard has played in 100 games. He has racked up 331 total tackles to go along with two sacks, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 29 interceptions, two defensive touchdowns, and 95 defended passes.
During the 2023 season, he played in 13 games for the Miami Dolphins. He recorded 45 tackles, an interception, and 12 defended passes.
Clearly, the 31-year-old cornerback is still capable of playing a role.
All of that being said, it will be interesting to see who ends up giving Howard another chance. It could very well be the Jets, who could use more defensive back depth. He's certainly the kind of player that could make an impact and carve out a role, or at the very least be an elite backup.
Howard is worth keeping a close eye on over the next couple of weeks as a potential target for New York.
