INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — New Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo already has a sense of what four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard brings to his injury-depleted secondary — even at age 32, even after a year out of football.
Yes, Anarumo still views Howard as an elite ball-hawk.
The Colts signed the two-time league interceptions champion Monday, giving Howard a chance to restart his career 18 months after being cut by the Miami Dolphins.
Howard's agent David Canter, made the announcement
in a social media post. The Colts later confirmed the signing as part of a flurry of roster moves.
“Last year, with the Bengals, we worked him out back in December, so we've seen him move a little bit and he looks good,” Anarumo said. “I just feel good about the athlete he is. Maybe you could look at it as his legs got a year off to rest. But one thing I know is his ball skills and those things, they don't go away with time. And he still has those.”
Anarumo should know.
Before taking the coordinator's job with the Bengals in 2019, he helped Howard make the transition from college star to NFL starter as the Dolphins defensive backs coach in 2016 and 2017 — Howard's first two years in the league.
Anarumo also admired Howard's talent from afar, especially when he had a league-best seven interceptions in 2018 and did it again with 10 picks in his 2020 All-Pro season.
What's unclear is whether Indy is getting the same Howard who picked off 29 passes, returning two for scores, in 100 games with the Dolphins.
“I know X from his college days,” Anarumo said. “The one thing that jumped off the tape at Baylor, the reason he was drafted so high, is he can go get the ball and he's proven that throughout his NFL career. He's an elite interceptor, so we're hoping — we'll give him some time to get into football shape — but we're hoping we can get some of those interceptions.”
Neither Colts coach Shane Steichen nor players were scheduled to speak with reporters until Tuesday even though Steichen said Saturday he was “very close” to selecting either Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones as the starting quarterback.
The Colts' injury situation also made taking a chance with Howard worth the risk.
Pro Bowl cornerback Kenny Moore II left practice Aug. 10 with an injured right knee and still has not returned. Two other cornerbacks, Jaylon Jones and JuJu Brents, still are recovering from hamstring injuries they suffered July 29.
Jones started 17 games for Indy last season but was carted off the field after going down in a one-on-one drill. Brents missed 23 games in his first two seasons because of injuries.
Rookie cornerback Justin Walley also appeared to be fighting for a starting job — until suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament during a joint practice against Baltimore.
Plus, starting safety Nick Cross is out with a hip flexor injury and rookie safety-linebacker Hunter Wohler was placed on injured reserve Monday after suffering a foot injury in Saturday's 23-19 loss to Green Bay. Indy closes out the preseason Saturday at Cincinnati.
“I think if you asked any team where they're at from an injury standpoint, there are going to be guys who have missed practice,” Anarumo said. “It's going to happen during the season, and it's just how you integrate the guys who are coming off, whether it be surgery or a two-week ankle injury, I think that's just part of the way the NFL is now."
And Anarumo believes Howard will fit just fine when the Colts line up against the only other pro team he played for, Miami, in the Sept. 7 season opener.
“He's played a lot of football, he's played in a lot of systems over the course of his career,” he said. “So while we may call it a little something different than what he's used to, he'll just equate it to the things he knows.”
The Colts also placed backup right tackle Blake Freeland and linebacker Jacob Phillips on injured reserve. Freeland was carted off the field Saturday after suffering a fractured lower right leg.
Indy also signed linebackers Jake Chaney and Joseph Vaughn. Both are undrafted rookies. Chaney attended Wisconsin. Vaughn started his college career at Yale and finished last season at UCLA.
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