Miami Dolphins Helmet Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Dolphins are set to release star cornerback Xavien Howard in a move that will save the team a lot of space on the salary cap this offseason. Despite the move, general manager Chris Grier did not rule out the possibility of Howard still returning to the team next season if he could not get a contract elsewhere, but it does not sound like Howard agrees that’s a possibility.

During a recent interview, Xavien Howard quickly shut down any and all possibility of returning to the Miami Dolphins next season.

“That door is closed,” Howard said on WQAM on Thursday morning, according to Pro Football Talk.

Howard will not officially become a free agent until the new league year begins later this month. But when he does hit the free agent market, it’s clear that he will be planning to sign elsewhere and will not return to the Miami Dolphins next season.

It’s not clear where exactly Howard will land, but he has established himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the entire year, especially when he is lined up in press man-to-man coverage. We’ll have to see which teams are in the market for a shutdown cornerback like him, and what sort of salary he will command.

[Pro Football Talk]