The Browns have released veteran cornerback Joe Haden, the club announced today. Cleveland had been “aggressively” shopping Haden as of yesterday, but evidently wasn’t able to find a taker.
Cleveland’s efforts to trade Haden didn’t start only recently, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who indicates the team had been marketing Haden for more than year. But the 28-year-old Haden’s contract likely proved a hindrance, as he’s due $11.1MM in 2017 base salary, a figure that includes $4MM in guarantees. That guarantee didn’t kick in until February, tweets Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, so the Browns could have parted ways with Haden before that time and saved that total. However, the club presumably was willing to take the risk of eating that $4MM in the hopes of finding a trade partner.
An acquiring team would have also taken on Haden’s base salaries over the next two seasons: $11.1MM in 2018 and $10.4MM in 2019, though none of that money would have been guaranteed. Haden’s signing bonus proration will now accelerate onto the Browns’ salary cap over the next two campaigns, meaning the club will take on $7.2MM in dead money in 2017 and $3.6MM in 2018. Cleveland attempted to convince Haden to accept a pay cut before releasing him, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link), but Haden declined.
Haden’s performance probably wasn’t overly appealing to potential suitors, either, as he’d struggled with both injuries and ineffectiveness over the past several seasons. He missed 14 games from 2015-16, and ranked as just the No. 88 cornerback among 110 qualifiers last year, per Pro Football Focus. Among the 84 qualified cornerbacks in Football Outsiders’ data, Haden finished only 64th in yards allowed per pass (8.2).
The Browns will move forward with free agent acquisition Jason McCourty and 2016 waiver claim Briean Boddy-Calhoun as their starting corners, with Jamar Taylor in the slot. Fourth-round rookie Howard Wilson is also available for depth, while Haden’s release likely opened up a roster spot for a corner such as Trey Caldwell or Marcus Burley to earn space on the squad. Cleveland, which owns the NFL’s No. 1 waiver priority, may also be active in poaching players from other teams during roster cutdowns this weekend.
Haden, for his part, shouldn’t have any trouble finding a new team in relatively short order, and the Saints and Chiefs are among the clubs expected to have “strong interest” in him, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). New Orleans has inquired on Haden before, making a play for him prior to the 2016 trade deadline, but Cleveland’s asking price was reportedly too steep. The Cowboys, too, are eyeing Haden, but aren’t likely to get into a bidding war, per Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star Telegram (Twitter link). Haden’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told Schefter there is “tons of interest” in his client, and predicted Haden will have a new contract by Thursday (Twitter link).
Well, that escalated quickly
DALLAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry got excited but Dallas needs to use some of that cap room from this summer to use!
He’s pretty terrible now. Not sure he would help
Sometimes playing for the browns for several years and continuous basement dwellers there’s a lack of motivation. Finally playing in a meanful season with a contender might bring out the best in him.
Doubt his injuries had anything to do with where the Browns finished. He’s a shell of the player he used to be.
He’s not terrible. He’s played through injuries lately. He’s not the same as last Haden. But he is good.
Dallas could use Haden if he is healthy and affordable
Watch him end up in NE and regain his old form from his younger days.
It would be interesting to see him go to PIT and suddenly become a winner and torment CLE. But PIT won’t spend.
The Steelers maybe could have considered Haden if they hadn’t traded for McDonald yesterday. They are likely too close to the cap now to pay Haden what I expect he is going to ask for. But if he somehow was in their price range, they should absolutely look into signing him.
New England doesn’t need him he will end up in Baltimore or Cincinnati
PIT just acquired a TE from SF yesterday. They will spend. They’ve made trades during training camp the last few seasons. They will spend; they won’t get into a bidding war
packers?!
STEELERS needa stop being cheap and sign him they’re secondary is ass
Not sure I understand how the Steelers are being cheap if they are right at or near the salary cap every season. It’s possible to argue that they could spend more money on the CB position, which they traditionally choose not to, but it’s not accurate to say that the team is cheap. They prefer to spend on keeping their own players instead of signing many free agents… and it’s worked pretty well for them.
The Buccaneers could always use a solid veteran to help their young secondary
As for this: but Cleveland’s asking price was reportedly too steep.
Well, now Cleveland gets nothing!
If the plan was to cut him anyway, I doubt they asked for more than a late round pick or conditional pick. His salary/cap hit was likely a bigger factor than Cleveland’s asking price.
He was a decent presence on some horrendous teams. Was always given to much credit
Well, that was dumb.
Colts should go for him, they just lost vontae Davis for a while and could use a bit more help
Packers? They were interested last year on him