HEADLINES

Joe Haden

North Notes: Webb, Vikings, Browns, Packers

May 14th, 2014 at 12:57pm CST by Luke Adams

With the draft behind us, players selected last week are signing contracts, and teams are also revisiting the free agent pool, which may hold renewed appeal if a club missed out on a position it had targeted in the draft. The Vikings, who selected one offensive lineman with their 10 picks last week (fifth-rounder David Yankey), hosted veteran free agent tackle J’Marcus Webb for a visit today, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Webb, who was on Minnesota’s roster last season after starting for the Bears from 2010 to 2012, also met with the Chiefs back in March.

Here are a few more notes from out of the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • The Browns officially announced Joe Haden‘s new extension with a press conference today, and the cornerback sounds motivated to live up to the mammoth deal, as Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. “This contract makes me want to play like the best cornerback in the league,” Haden told reporters.
  • Fullback Eric Kettani, who was cut earlier this week by the Chiefs, has been invited to the Browns’ rookie minicamp, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Kettani, who has also spent time with the Redskins and Patriots, will be fighting to earn a 90-man roster spot in Cleveland.
  • Wilson also reports that former Maryland linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield, who auditioned for the Packers last year, has been invited back to Green Bay’s rookie minicamp to try out again.
  • Unlike their division-rival Bears, the Lions haven’t officially agreed to terms with any of their draftees yet, but it shouldn’t take long for the team to do so, says Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Browns Sign Joe Haden To Extension

May 13th, 2014 at 12:26pm CST by Luke Adams

On the heels of Richard Sherman signing a record-setting contract to remain with the Seahawks through the 2018 season, another cornerback has agreed to an extension of his own. The Browns have signed Joe Haden to a new contract that will lock him up through the 2019 season, the team announced today (via Twitter).Joe Haden

The five new years on Haden’s deal are worth $68MM, meaning he’ll be in line for about $75MM in total over the next six seasons. While the $13.6MM annual value on the extension itself is a little less than what Sherman got ($14MM per year), Haden’s new contract includes a $14MM signing bonus, $22MM in fully guaranteed money, and another $23MM that’s guaranteed for injury only, all numbers that reportedly exceed what Sherman received.

Haden, who earned his first Pro Bowl nod last season, has graded as a top-20 cornerback in each of his first four NFL seasons, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). In 2013, the former seventh overall pick recorded 54 tackles, broke up 20 passes, and grabbed four interceptions, returning one for a touchdown.

Because Haden’s previous contract had been set to expire after the coming season, an extension for the standout cornerback had been viewed as a priority for the Browns. Haden becomes the second core piece the Browns have locked up to a long-term contract this offseason — of course, in the case of Alex Mack, the center agreed to an offer sheet with the Jaguars that Cleveland decided to match, so it’s a step in the right direction for the Browns that they didn’t let Haden reach unrestricted free agency.

The Haden extension is the latest update in what’s been a whirlwind week for the Browns, who landed a 2015 first-rounder in a trade with the Bills, and also drafted a potential franchise quarterback (Johnny Manziel) and a cornerback to play across from Haden (Justin Gilbert). On the flip side, word also broke that star receiver Josh Gordon is facing a lengthy suspension for violating the league’s drug policy, leaving the team’s receiving corps looking awfully thin.

We’ll have to wait for the specific year-by-year figures on Haden’s new deal, but it sounds to me as if the salary in the first year (2015) is fully guaranteed, and that the salaries for 2016 and 2017 are guaranteed for injury only. With Haden and Sherman locked up, Patrick Peterson of the Cardinals appears to be the next notable corner in line for an extension. We heard yesterday that Peterson and the Cardinals have discussed a new long-term deal, with the 23-year-old presumably looking to match or exceed the deals agreed to by his fellow Pro Bowl cornerbacks.

Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk first reported that Haden and the Browns had reached an agreement, and had the figures on the guaranteed money in the deal. Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter) added the overall amount of the contract.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: Browns, Haden, Bills, Fins, Colts

May 1st, 2014 at 2:37pm CST by Luke Adams

With this weekend’s deadline looming, head coach Mike Pettine says the Browns have yet to make a decision on whether or not to exercise the fifth-year option for defensive tackle Phil Taylor (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal). For his part, Taylor expressed a desire to have that option picked up, but says he won’t let it affect his play if the team decides to turn it down (all Twitter links).

Let’s round up a couple more Browns items and check in on a few other AFC clubs…

  • Cornerback Joe Haden confirmed that extension talks with the Browns are ongoing, as Ulrich tweets. “I’d like to get it done as soon as possible, but we’re still working on it,” Haden said.
  • More from Ulrich (Twitter link): Pettine confirmed today that the Browns‘ phone has been ringing and that trade talks are happening for virtually all the teams in the top 10 of the draft.
  • Gil Brandt of NFL.com tweets that he’s hearing “a lot of chatter” about the Bills wanting to move up from the No. 9 pick, and the Dolphins wanting to trade down from No. 19, which is consistent with other whispers we’ve heard in the last week or so.
  • Free agent offensive lineman Steve Vallos had a tryout with the Colts yesterday, according to Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange (via Twitter). Vallos, who spent the 2013 season with the Broncos, left the audition without a contract.
  • The Colts, who don’t have a first-round pick in this year’s draft, are keeping their options open when it comes to moving up, GM Ryan Grigson said today (link via Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star). However, as Grigson acknowledges, with just five picks in hand, the Colts don’t have a ton of ammunition for trades.
  • Morgan State cornerback Joe Rankin is drawing interest from the Chargers, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).

North Notes: Lions, Haden, Bears

April 19th, 2014 at 5:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up a handful of Saturday afternoon updates out of the NFL’s two North divisions….

  • The Lions, who have been eyeing draft prospects likely to be off the board by No. 10, will host another one this week, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, who says Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack will visit the club. When we asked earlier in the week about the likelihood of the Lions trading up, more than half of you expected the team to do so, though you were split on exactly how far up.
  • According to Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter), the upcoming contract negotiations between the Browns and cornerback Joe Haden will be of particular interest to other teams and players around the NFL. If Haden gets less than $12MM per year, it will be harder for players like Richard Sherman and Patrick Peterson to make a case for more.
  • Finding a safety next month in the draft looks like the Bears‘ top priority, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. It’s possible that one or both of the top safeties in this year’s class – Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Calvin Pryor – will still be on the board when Chicago picks 14th overall.

Browns Owner Talks Draft, Haden, Parcells

March 31st, 2014 at 1:55pm CST by Luke Adams

With a new GM (Ray Farmer) and head coach (Mike Pettine) in place in Cleveland, this year’s group of decision-makers looks significant different than the group that selected Barkevious Mingo sixth overall a year ago. One constant though is owner Jimmy Haslam, who spoke to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com and other Browns beat writers last week about the importance of this offseason and the draft for the franchise, and his long-term outlook for the team.

Here are a few notable quotes from the Browns owner:

On whether there’s a scenario in which he’d overrule Farmer or Pettine on a draft decision:

“Zero chance. We will have so many conversations between now and the draft about who we’re picking. Are we picking this position or that position? Who are the top three or four guys? We will be well planned out, so that, ‘Hey, here’s plan A. But if plan A doesn’t work, here’s plan B, and here’s plan C. That’s what getting ready is all about. That’s what Ray and his group are focused on, and we’ll all participate. Mike will play a key role in that, too.”

On whether the team might use the No. 4 overall pick on a non-quarterback:

“Yeah, I don’’t think we’re’ compelled to pick a quarterback at No. 4. We don’’t know that yet. The draft is May 8, so it’’s still six, seven weeks, and Ray and his team and Pett and his team have a lot of work to do between now and then.””

On the importance of the 2014 draft for the Browns:

“We have three of the top 35 picks and 10 overall, so it’s exceptionally important that we do a good job in the draft and I think we’ve said that for the last year and this is an important free agency. We’ll know this time next year, but I think we feel good about the moves we’ve made in free agency.”

On potentially extending the contract of cornerback Joe Haden:

“Joe’s very important to the franchise and people forget, Joe’s only 24 years old, because he got out of high school a little early, got out of college three straight years and he’s very important to the franchise, and going forward we want to sign our really good players early if possible and Joe certainly exemplifies that.”

On whether he has an open line of communication with Bill Parcells:

“Yeah, but Bill’s not going to come work for us, okay? I know that’s what everyone’s angling at, but there’s other people that we talk to too who are knowledgeable in football that will share that too. Somehow the Parcells information just happened to hit the radar screen.”

Browns GM Talks Haden, QBs, FAs, Mack

March 24th, 2014 at 9:48am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing at the NFL’s owner meetings in Orlando, Browns GM Ray Farmer answered several questions from reporters today, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal and Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Here’s a round-up of some of the highlights, with Twitter links via Ulrich and Cabot:

  • After cornerback Joe Haden fueled speculation by tweeting “It’s a crazy business” last night, Farmer insisted that the team has no interest in trading Haden, and would like to keep him in Cleveland for a long time.
  • Farmer defended the team’s decision not to attend the Pro Days of top quarterback prospects like Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, and Johnny Manziel by arguing that those days are “scripted” and saying that the Browns’ absence keeps teams guessing about Cleveland’s intentions. The general manager added that he’s “not leaning in any direction” with the No. 4 pick in the draft.
  • Farmer believes Cleveland will have opportunities to trade up or down in the draft, and confirmed that discussions about those possibilities are already underway.
  • Asked if the Browns have interest in Mark Sanchez, Farmer said the team would be interested in “anyone who can help us win,” though he didn’t say whether Sanchez was one such player. For now, the GM says he’s comfortable with Brian Hoyer, and that Hoyer’s competition could come from anywhere, including a player in the draft.
  • Farmer confirmed that the Browns had interest in Matt Schaub before Houston sent him to the Raiders.
  • According to Ulrich, Farmer paused for a few seconds when asked where the Browns stood with offensive lineman Paul McQuistan and defensive end Alex Carrington, before replying, “We’ll see.” Both free agents visited the team last week.
  • Cleveland investigated many options for a No. 2 wide receiver and No. 2 cornerback in free agency, but nothing worked out, according to Farmer.
  • The Browns are still focused on working out a long-term deal with Alex Mack, who received the transition tag from the club this offseason.

AFC Rumors: Raiders, Chargers, Haden, Edelman

March 11th, 2014 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

It appears the Raiders, the team with the most cap room in the NFL, will let both of their marquee free agents walk, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio hears from a source that Oakland believes Jared Veldheer is better suited to right tackle than left tackle, and that the team can’t justify paying $7MM annually to a defensive end (Lamarr Houston) who is more a run-stopper than a pass-rusher.

With free agency looming at the top of the hour, here’s more from around the AFC:

  • Raiders defensive tackle Vance Walker will test the market at 3:00pm CT, tweets Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. Oakland made Walker an offer, and he likes playing for the Raiders, but he wants to take advantage of the rare opportunity to be an unrestricted free agent, says Tafur.
  • The Chargers are “very much in the mix” for free agent defensive tackle Earl Mitchell, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
  • The Colts remain in talks to bring Ahmad Bradshaw back, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network. The former Giants running back was an impact player last year before his injury.
  • The Browns‘ talks with Joe Haden on a long-term deal are ongoing, tweets Breer, adding that it would be interesting to see how a deal for Darrelle Revis would affect those talks.
  • Sources tell Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star that the Chiefs have interest in wide receivers Jason Avant and Devin Hester.
  • Assuming the Patriots can’t re-sign Julian Edelman, Andrew Hawkins is a target to keep in mind for the team, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Hawkins received an RFA tender from the Bengals, so Cincinnati would have a chance to match any offer for the receiver.
  • Speaking of Edelman, the Ravens have interest in him, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Wilson also hears from a source that the Ravens will evaluate tight end Owen Daniels, who was released by the Texans (Twitter link).
  • After voiding his deal and becoming a free agent yesterday, defensive lineman Jason Babin told SiriusXM NFL Radio today that he’d like to return to the Jaguars if it’s possible. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union has the details and quotes.
  • Bills GM Doug Whaley told WGR 550 that “offers are on the table” for tight end Scott Chandler and kicker Dan Carpenter, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC North Notes: Smith, Haden, Dalton

March 2nd, 2014 at 12:51pm CST by Rory Parks

Now that the Ravens have signed Dennis Pitta to a long-term deal, Baltimore’s next biggest priorities are left tackle Eugene Monroe and middle linebacker Daryl Smith. Monroe could still receive the franchise tag before tomorrow’s 4 p.m. deadline, but even if the Ravens do not tag him, they are expected to continue to work towards a multiyear contract extension with him. Meanwhile, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com is “quietly confident” that the team will re-sign Smith, especially since they just released Jameel McClain.

Hensley adds that the bump in the 2014 salary cap makes it a little more likely that the Ravens can re-sign Jacoby Jones, but they will still not want to pay him more than $1-2MM. The team sees Jones as a returner, but if other teams see him as both a returner and receiver, those teams could offer him something closer to the $4MM he made last season. For a team that has a number of holes to fill–and Hensley added that GM Ozzie Newsome would not be afraid to sign some unrestricted free agents this season–Jones might be too much of a luxury item.

More notes from the AFC North:

  • Several weeks ago, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that, despite the posturing of GM Kevin Colbert, the Steelers would not be able to bring back both LaMarr Woodley and Jason Worilds and that Woodley would be released. Although he does not deviate from that stance in his latest piece, he does add an interesting twist. He notes that, according to Pro Football Focus, Woodley graded out as a slightly better player overall in 2013 (when he played, of course) and as a significantly better pass rusher. Although Woodley’s significant cap hit and recent injury history probably means he is still the odd-man out in Pittsburgh, the PFF grades and the increased salary cap at least give reason for pause.
  • Some of the Browns‘ top performers are eligible for free agency in 2015, and Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com believes that several of them will receive new contracts this season. He also hears that the team and Joe Haden are close to a new deal.
  • Paul Dehner of Cincinnati.com looks at the Bengals‘ quarterback outlook for 2014. Although Andy Dalton is of course the unquestioned starter and the team is not likely to peruse the free agent market for QBs, Dalton’s rocky postseason performances and his entering the final year of his rookie contract make this a pivotal year for him and for his club. Dehner believes mid- to late-round QB prospects like Aaron Murray or Zach Mettenberger would be logical selections for the Bengals.

Browns, Joe Haden Talking Long-Term Deal

February 12th, 2014 at 8:31am CST by Luke Adams

While the Browns’ front office overhaul may have an effect on the team’s decisions relating to certain players, it doesn’t appear as if it will affect cornerback Joe Haden. According to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter links), the Browns have been negotiating a long-term contract with Haden, and were in touch with his reps yesterday. Locking up Haden will remain a top priority for the club through the front office transition, says Breer.

Haden, the seventh overall pick in 2010, has one year remaining on his rookie contract, with a base salary of $6.68MM owed to him for 2014, to go along with a cap number of about $8.93MM. As such, the Browns may be more concerned with finalizing decisions on ’14 free agents like center Alex Mack and safety T.J. Ward. Still, the team will be looking to keep Haden off the open market next year, so an agreement within the next 12 months looks likely.

On his first NFL contract, Haden already ranks among the highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL, by annual salary. A new agreement could easily vault him into the top five at his position. With that sort of deal, he’d be looking at a salary that approaches or surpasses $10MM per year, not an unreasonable figure for a player who is still just 24 years old and is considered one of the league’s best at his position. NFL scribe Brian McIntyre expects Haden to seek $30MM+ in guaranteed money on his next contract (Twitter link).

Haden was named to his first Pro Bowl this past season. In 15 starts for the Browns, the Florida product picked off four passes and defended 20 more, while consistently limiting the production of opposing teams’ number one receivers.