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Joe Haden

Browns Place Joe Haden On Season-Ending IR, Add Two

December 14th, 2015 at 4:27pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Browns standout cornerback Joe Haden hasn’t appeared in a game since Nov. 1 because of concussion issues. With just three weeks left and the 3-10 Browns near the bottom of the NFL, the team decided Monday to place Haden on season-ending injured reserve, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Haden, who made back-to-back Pro Bowls prior to this season, appeared in five games this year and made 22 tackles. He and the Browns’ secondary were supposed to be a fierce group after the defense finished 2014 eighth in aerial yards allowed and first in passer rating against. However, thanks in part to the 26-year-old Haden’s injury troubles, the Browns are currently 22nd and 28th in those categories.

After putting Haden on IR, the Browns claimed rookie offensive lineman Kaleb Johnson – whom the Ravens cut Saturday – according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland.com (on Twitter). They also plucked receiver Rannell Hall off Tampa’s practice squad, Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk reports.

Browns Rumors: Pettine, QB, Haden, Hawkins

December 3rd, 2015 at 7:33pm CST by Luke Adams

The Browns played a little better than many observers expected during Mike Pettine‘s first season as the head coach in 2014, but the team finished that season on a five-game losing streak, and have gone 2-9 so far in 2015. Taking those struggles into account, Pettine acknowledges that he and owner Jimmy Haslam figure to have a talk about his performance sooner or later, and he hopes he’ll have some positive signs to point to when that discussion happens.

“As the season winds down, [my future] could potentially come up between [Haslam and me],” Pettine said today, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “I’m full speed ahead to getting it fixed here in Cleveland, and I know the results aren’t anywhere near where they need to be. But that doesn’t mean that we’re not making strides, we’re not getting it set up that it can be done. So, to me, it’s a belief that we can. We got five games left and we’re going to go out and wear the Cleveland logo proud and try to win football games.”

As Pettine attempts to right the ship in Cleveland, let’s check in on a few more Browns-related notes…

  • Discussing the decision to start Austin Davis in Week 13, making him the Browns’ third starting quarterback in three weeks, Pettine suggested that just because Davis is atop the depth chart now, that doesn’t mean he’ll finish the year there (link via Ulrich). “I don’t want to declare, ‘Hey, this is what it is going to be from here on out,'” Pettine said. “[Davis and Johnny Manziel] are two young quarterbacks that have upside, and we want to see what that upside is. Austin is the guy for this week.”
  • According to Pettine, the Browns may have some discussions about the possibility of placing cornerback Joe Haden and/or wide receiver Andrew Hawkins on injured reserve (Twitter link via Tom Withers of The Associated Press). Both Haden and Hawkins have concussions, but the team hasn’t decided yet to shut down either player for the year.
  • New Browns wideout Terrelle Pryor said today that he was in the middle of a visit with the Bears this week when Cleveland called him, per Ulrich (Twitter link). Pryor was interested in a return to Cleveland since he knows the offense and offensive coordinator John DeFilippo.
  • The three-week practice period for Browns tight end Randall Telfer expired this week without a roster move, as Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post tweets. Telfer has been on the non-football injury list all season, and having missed his window to be activated, he’ll officially be out for the rest of his rookie year.

AFC Notes: Pats, Cooper, Ravens, Haden, Philbin

September 27th, 2015 at 4:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As the second wave of Week 3 games begin, let’s take a look at a few notes from the AFC…

  • In his latest notes piece for ESPN.com, Mike Reiss wonders if the Patriots might be able to work out a trade for a cornerback. New England’s secondary is depleted after losing Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, and Kyle Arrington during the offseason, and Bill Belichick has certainly shown a willingness to make in-season deals. Reiss speculates that New England might target Chiefs CB Marcus Cooper, who played just one snap last week and will see even less time given the return of Sean Smith from suspension. Per Reiss, the Patriots tried to claim Cooper off waivers in 2013 but were beaten out by Kansas City.
  • Not only did the Ravens fall to 0-3 by losing to the Bengals today, but the club might be without first-round rookie receiver Breshad Perriman for longer than originally thought. Reports had indicated that Perriman was close to a return, but he apparently suffered a setback during pregame warmups earlier today. According to Jeff Zreibec of the Baltimore Sun, Perriman was “moving well” as he attempts to come back from a sprained knee, but pulled up lame as he tried to go after a deep ball.
  • Elsewhere in the AFC North, Browns cornerback Joe Haden told Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link) that X-rays came back negative on his injured ribs. However, Haden did say that he’ll undergo an MRI tomorrow.
  • With the Dolphins record sitting at 1-1, and the club facing a stiff divisional test today against the Bills, several USA Today scribes debated whether head coach Joe Philbin might be on the proverbial hot seat. It’s widely believed that Miami must make the playoffs for Philbin to keep his job.

2015 Salaries Become Guaranteed For Brees, Graham, Others

February 4th, 2015 at 9:45am CST by Luke Adams

Saints quarterback Drew Brees and tight end Jimmy Graham are among the players whose 2015 base salaries become fully guaranteed today, according to former player agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com. The contracts for Brees, Graham, Browns cornerback Joe Haden, and Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy all call for guarantees on the third day of the 2015 waiver period, which is today.

For Brees, that means that his $18.75MM base salary for 2015 is now fully guaranteed (Twitter link). Combined with a $7.4MM prorated signing bonus charge and a $250K workout bonus, Brees now counts for $26.4MM against the Saints’ cap, though that number could be reduced if the veteran signal-caller restructures or extends his deal. As for Graham, his $2.9MM base salary for 2015 becomes guaranteed along with his $5MM roster bonus for this year (Twitter link). After counting for just $4MM against New Orleans’ cap in 2014, the tight end’s cap number jumps to $11MM for the coming year.

Like Brees, Haden will simply see his 2015 base salary ($8.3MM) guaranteed today, without any additional bonuses (Twitter link). That locks him in for an $11.7MM cap hit on the Browns’ books, which is actually a step down from 2014’s $12.13MM figure.

Finally, McCoy’s contract sees the most activity — not only will his $5MM base salary and $6.5MM roster bonus for 2015 become guaranteed, but he’ll also have his 2016 base salary ($6MM) guaranteed, ensuring that he secures $17.5MM in total guarantees today (Twitter links). The standout defensive lineman is on the books for a $14.595MM cap number for the coming season.

North Links: Steelers, Peppers, Browns

January 4th, 2015 at 1:55pm CST by Ben Levine

We learned earlier today that the future is uncertain for a couple of veteran Steelers defenders. Troy Polamalu and James Harrison could soon call it a career, but neither player wanted to address the speculation following their loss to the Ravens on Saturday.

“Honestly, we just lost a game,” said Polamalu (via ESPN.com’s Scott Brown). “I don’t think I’m prepared to even think about that or talk about that at this time.”

“We’ll see,” Harrison said. “I’m not going to answer a question [about the future] right now because I’m not in the right mind frame.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the NFL’s north divisions…

  • Packers general manager Ted Thompson probably has a “good idea” about whether he’ll have Julius Peppers back next season, ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky writes. If the organization thinks Peppers can repeat his production from 2014, Demovsky believes they’ll bring the veteran (and his $9.5MM salary) back for a second year.
  • Even though the Packers are interested in extending defensive tackle Letroy Guion, that doesn’t mean B.J. Raji‘s tenure with the organization is over, writes Demovsky.
  • It’s sounding like Browns general manager Ray Farmer has zero intention of giving up on quarterback Johnny Manziel, writes Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. If the team was to move on and trade up for Marcus Mariota, Cabot estimates that it would cost three first-rounders.
  • Furthermore, Cabot says the turnaround of cornerback Joe Haden proves that the Browns shouldn’t give up on Manziel or Justin Gilbert.

Examining Notable Pro Bowlers’ Contracts

December 24th, 2014 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL announced its Pro Bowl rosters on Tuesday night, a collection of 42 offensive players, 36 defenders, and eight special teams players. The list features the usual suspects such as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Aaron Rodgers, as well as new faces like Le’Veon Bell, T.Y. Hilton, and Chris Harris, and can be viewed in full right here (PDF link).

Among the 86 players initially selected to appear in the game, several have signed new contracts in 2014, many more will be eligible for new deals in 2015, and others will receive a bump in pay based on their Pro Bowl nods. Here’s a breakdown of the Pro Bowl players with notable contract situations:

Recently signed or extended:

Eligible for free agency in 2015:

Received Pro Bowl bonuses:

(via Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap)

Perhaps the most interesting – or at least unusual – takeaway from this data is the abundance of cornerbacks on the first list. In fact, all eight cornerbacks initially named as Pro Bowlers (Davis, Grimes, Haden, Harris, Peterson, Revis, Sherman, and Talib) have signed new contracts, either extensions or free agent deals, since March. Rival teams hoping to get their hands on a Pro Bowl corner this offseason will have to focus on Revis — he’s the only one of the eight who can reasonably be expected to become available within the next few months, due to the structure of his contract with the Pats.

Data from Over the Cap was used in the creation of this post.

Injury Updates: Sunday

December 14th, 2014 at 9:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We’ll keep track of the latest injury news here, with the newest updates added to the top of the list…

  • Lions‘ right tackle LaAdrian Waddle left today’s game with a right knee injury, according to Josh Katzenstein of DetroitNews.com. Waddle’s teammates were not optimistic about the injury, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN (via Twitter).
  • Seahawks‘ left tackle Russell Okung was forced out of the matchup with the 49ers before halftime with a chest injury, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter).
  • The 49ers were eliminated from playoff contention earlier today, and were down to their third string running back at times. We heard that Frank Gore was knocked out of the game with a head injury, which was diagnosed as a concussion, according to Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News (via Twitter).
  • Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy hyperextended his knee, an injury that could end his season, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. With no chance of playoffs and the 2015 top pick in their grasp, keeping McCoy on the sidelines for the final two games could be the smart long-term decision for the team.
  • Washington lost two starters earlier today, with left tackle Trent Williams and quarterback Colt McCoy both leaving the game and not returning, reports Tarik-El Bashir of CSNWashington.com. Williams suffered a shoulder injury, while McCoy aggravated his neck during the game.

Earlier updates:

  • After having his right ankle taped during the first half of today’s game against the Broncos, Chargers receiver Keenan Allen had to be carted off the field during the second half, tweets Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego. It’s unclear whether Allen re-aggravated his ankle ailment, or suffered a new injury.
  • Texans quarterback Tom Savage was limping after today’s game against the Colts, and will have an MRI tomorrow, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Savage, selected in the fourth round of this year’s draft, was filling in for Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is likely lost for the year. If Savage can’t go next week, Houston would presumably turn to journeyman Thad Lewis, who was signed less than a month ago.
  • 49ers running back Frank Gore is headed to the locker room after suffering an head injury while blocking in today’s game against the Seahawks, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link).
  • The Ravens’ secondary has been ravaged by injuries this season, and it appears as though they’ve lost a few more key defenders. Rookie safety Terrence Brooks‘ season is over after he suffered damage to his PCL and possibly his MCL on a kickoff today, while cornberback Asa Jackson‘s status is unclear after he injured his PCL, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Another AFC North team is down several players in its defensive backfield, as Browns corners Joe Haden (shoulder) and Joe Haden (concussion) were forced from today’s game against the Bengals, according to Tony Grossi of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
  • Starting in the absence of an injured Zach Mettenberger, Titans quarterback Jake Locker suffered what appears to a shoulder injury after taking a hit from the Jets’ Quinton Coples, per Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Charlie Whitehurst has taken over at QB for Tennessee.

AFC Notes: Manuel, Luck, Bryant, Haden

July 12th, 2014 at 4:35pm CST by Rob DiRe

Bills passer E.J. Manuel was the top quarterback selected in the 2013 NFL Draft, but failed to live up to his selection because he was unable to stay on the field last season. Manuel was forced out of the game three times due to knee injuries. He is focused on staying healthy in 2014, writes Dan Hanzus of NFL.com.

“That was one thing I had to learn: to be smart when I take off with the football,” Manuel said. “Instead of trying to get an extra three yards, either step out of bounds or slide. Those are all the nuances I had to learn.”

Here are some other notes from around the AFC:

  • The Colts have a number of burning questions heading into 2014, but quarterback is not one of the more pressing issues. Even still, Kevin Bowen of Colts.com examines a few nuances of the position heading into Andrew Luck‘s third year. One noteworthy improvement Bowen will be looking for is increased efficiency on third down and in the red zone from the star quarterback.
  • While the Steelers have lost receivers Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders the past few offseasons, they still employ pass catchers they feel they can rely upon, writes Marc Sessler of NFL.com. Antonio Brown is coming off a career year, and Markus Wheaton is poised for a big season himself. Rookie fourth-round pick Martavis Bryant could provide the height and physicality needed for a red zone threat.
  • With the addition of LeBron James to the Cavaliers, Browns cornerback Joe Haden believes there will be a race to see which team will bring a championship to Cleveland first, writes Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “LeBron makes things happen pretty quickly, so we’re going to have to get to it. I say it’s going to be a tight fight,” says Haden. “I know me and Manziel will be pushing to make that happen before. That’s why LeBron is coming here to bring a championship to the city and I’m trying to do the same thing.” The Browns will have the first shot at it this February in Phoenix, Arizona.

AFC North Notes: Shazier, Smith, Hunt, Wilder

June 21st, 2014 at 9:02am CST by Matt Feminis

Steelers first-rounder Ryan Shazier looks like the “real deal,” according to Mike Prisuta of Steelers.com: “The Steelers knew Shazier was fast when they drafted him No. 1 from The Ohio State University. But since arriving on the South Side of Pittsburgh Shazier has gotten Maurkice Pouncey‘s attention with physicality in practice, stunned Bruce Gradkowski with leaping ability on the way to an interception and impressed Ben Roethlisberger as a potential defensive signal-caller someday. Shazier also has been running with the first-team defense since snap one of OTAs. He’ll still have to do it in pads this summer, but he created a consistent buzz this spring.”

Here’s a few more AFC North notes:

  • Ravens head coach John Harbaugh says veteran inside linebacker Daryl Smith, who re-signed for four years and $16MM, played at a high level last season, writes Garrett Downing on BaltimoreRavens.com. That means first-rounder C.J. Mosley and 2013 second-rounder Arthur Brown will compete for playing time next to Smith.
  • The Bengals have high expectations for 27-year-old, second-year Estonian defensive end Margus Hunt, writes Geoff Hobson on Bengals.com. A 2013 second-round project, Hunt is a “freakish,” 6-8, 291-pounder who might be ready to contribute at left end.
  • Bengals running back James Wilder Jr., an undrafted free agent out of Florida State, claims he broke a team conditioning record, but he’s on the outside looking in for now, says ESPN’s Coley Harvey.
  • Browns All-Pro Joe Haden is the latest to (delicately) express concern over Johnny Manziel’s partying ways (radio interview with 850 AM here), but says nothing Manziel is doing away from the team facility is negatively affecting his work. Haden merely suggests, “Just try to have fun without the whole world knowing.”

North Notes: Ravens, Ebron, Bears, Haden

May 22nd, 2014 at 1:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s check in on the latest items from around the AFC and NFC North divisions….

  • Ravens assistant general manager Eric DeCosta shed some light on the Ravens‘ targets in this month’s draft, and Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com rounded up a few of his comments. According to DeCosta, he was disappointed that Baltimore didn’t have a chance to land tight end Eric Ebron, who he believes “has a chance to be a difference maker, Pro Bowl type guy.” The Ravens also liked safety Jimmie Ward and were hoping he might be there in the second round, but he was snapped up by the 49ers late in the first.
  • ESPN.com’s team reporters are breaking down the offseasons for the clubs they cover, and the NFC North group published their recaps today. Rob Demovsky examines the Packers, Ben Goessling sizes up the Vikings, Michael Rothstein looks at the Lions, and Michael C. Wright weighs in on the Bears.
  • With Brandon Marshall locked up, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune wonders which Bears might be next in line for contract extensions, noting that veteran linebacker Lance Briggs represents an interesting case — the longtime Chicago starter is entering the final year of his contract, but turns 34 this fall, so a long-term deal likely won’t be in the cards. Biggs’ mailbag piece also includes discussions about several other topics, including the Bears’ special teams, rookie minicamp, and receiving depth.
  • Pat McManamon of ESPN.com provides a few specific details on Joe Haden‘s new contract with the Browns, listing the cornerback’s annual base salaries and workout bonuses.
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