Dawg Pound Daily | A Cleveland Browns Blog » Contract Talks

Browns Sign RB Montario Hardesty and Safety T.J. Ward

Steve DiMatteo — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:07:57 +0000

The Cleveland Browns have come to terms on four-year deals with two more draft picks today – running back Montario Hardesty and safety T.J. Ward. With the team’s first full-squad practice on Saturday, the only unsigned draft pick is now first-round cornerback Joe Haden. The rookies reported last Friday, but it is nice to see that, as of now, all but one of the draft picks will be in camp.

Both Hardesty and Ward are expected to make contributions as rookies.

It’s also time to see if Haden truly wants to be in camp when it starts.

CB Joe Haden Will Not Hold Out – Or Will He?

Steve DiMatteo — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 06:26:08 +0000

Earlier this month, rookie cornerback Joe Haden’s agent, Malik Shareef, explained that his client had no intentions of holding out. It was – and, for all intents and purposes, still is – his desire to make it to training camp on time without the mess that a holdout can sometimes create.

This, however, is something fans hear every year. Of course every player wants to be in camp on time, but every player also wants to get paid. Like every top-ten draft pick, Haden and his agent will look at a number of factors, including what players in his position (seventh overall) and at his position on the field have received in the past and what the other draft picks are signing for.

If outrageous deals start to take shape and the money begins climbing upwards, it seems that a holdout for Haden will be likely, as the Browns do not appear to be an organization to simply concede a boatload of cash to a player just for the sake of doing so. Like every team, though, the Browns will eventually overspend on a player who has never played one down in the NFL, but it will most likely also end in Haden taking a little less to get to training camp faster.

No matter what any player says, the current business being conducted by the NFL will always dictate the contract negotiations, and that will be no different for Haden. Browns fans just have to hope that Haden really does want to be in camp as soon as possible.

Joe Haden Looking to Get to Camp on Time

Chris Slocombe — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:05:06 +0000

It looks like 1st round pick Joe Haden is intent on getting a deal done before training camp begins. Haden’s agent, Malik Shareef, was quoted as saying that:

Our main objective is to get Joe in camp on time so he can perform to the best of his abilities. A holdout would not be in anyone’s best interests.

Shareef also said that he has been in contact with the team and that he expects to begin negotiating as soon as next week.

Haden is expected to compete against both Sheldon Brown and Eric Wright for a starting corner spot. But even if he ends up as the odd man out, Haden is expected to contribute his fair share during his rookie campaign.

It’s a welcome relief to see a player and his agent want to get a deal done before the start of camp and not threaten to hold out.