Miami Dolphins second round pick Xavien Howard was expected to be one of the team’s starters at cornerback once training camp begins on Friday. But that plan will have to be placed on hold as Howard will not be practicing with the Dolphins for a little while.
In his press conference on Tuesday morning, Adam Gase announced that Howard will be placed on the PUP list (physically unable to perform list) at the start of training camp. Howard injured himself on the last day of Dolphins OTAs back in June.
Gase said the team hopes Howard can be healthy by their season opener in Seattle.
“He had a scope on the knee,” Gase said. “We expect him to be back by the first regular season game. He has been working hard to get himself back.”
Miami traded up to select Howard in the second round of last April’s NFL Draft. During minicamps, he took a lot of snaps with the first team defense opposite No. 1 corner Byron Maxwell.
Gase said on Tuesday that 2015 fifth-round pick Tony Lippett is expected to start in Howard’s place. 
“Tony (Lippett) has been starting the entire time anyway as we have been rotating those two guys out,” Gase said. “So Tony is just going to keep working at that spot.”
In limited duty last season during nine games, Lippett recorded 13 tackles as he was mostly used on special teams. Lippett did become more of an impact player later on during the season in Weeks 15-17.
Lippett played 38 snaps against both the San Diego Chargers and the Indianapolis Colts. In the season finale against the New England Patriots, he played 25 snaps and made a key play on Tom Brady’s pass to receiver Brandon LaFell.
According to Pro Football Focus, if Lippett would have qualified for the minimum snap count, he would have been the team’s highest rated cornerback last year even higher than former Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes.
If Howard is unable to return before the start of Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, the second cornerback spot will likely belongs to Lippett. With his tall 6-3, 192-pound frame, he is exactly the type of cornerback that Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph loves in his defensive scheme.
Twitter: @antwanstaley
