Cleveland Browns: The case for moving on from Joe Haden
In the wake of the firing of defensive coordinator Ray Horton, the Cleveland Browns have a great deal of instability defensively. With their obvious struggles in the secondary in mind, cutting ties with Joe Haden is not such a ridiculous idea.
What is expected to be a busy offseason for the Cleveland Browns is already off to a busy start. After hiring Gregg Williams as the team’s next defensive coordinator, the front office is sending a message that improvement on defense is a must.
For a defense that surrendered 28.2 points per game this season, a new coordinator isn’t the only change which needs to be made. The Browns’ secondary, composed of several inexperienced starters, must be addressed before 2017.
But it isn’t just the no-name players who have struggled enough to be re-evaluated this offseason. It could be argued that Joe Haden, a Pro Bowler in 2013, has reached the point of his career where a change of scenery is needed.
Like many Cleveland players, Haden has struggled to stay healthy his entire career. A first-round draft pick out of Florida in 2010, the 27-year-old did not disappoint early in his career with the Browns. Leading the team in jersey sales and becoming a fan favorite has given Haden a different sort of status around Cleveland and among fans. But injuries have changed the course of his career.
It hasn’t just been injuries though. This season, for whatever reason, the former lockdown cornerback has appeared to have lost a step. Still in his prime, Haden struggled as the team’s top corner to keep up with opposing receivers.
Surrendering massive totals this season to star wideouts such as Antonio Brown, A.J. Green, and Odell Beckham, Haden can no longer go toe-to-toe with the league’s best.
But it isn’t just the mere statistics that make Haden’s decline evident. The eye test doesn’t bode well for the 190-pound cornerback either, as he misses his share of tackles in the open field and commits penalties which are not represented by any stat.
His tackles are down too, as Haden made only 37 in 13 games. Also, with only three interceptions, the exciting playmaker has lost the nose for the ball which made him such a beloved Cleveland defender.
A subtle hint that the Browns were not entirely satisfied with Haden’s production was dropped in the middle of the season, when they began giving him a greater role in the special teams. This didn’t work well either, as the unnatural punt returner misplayed several punts in the San Diego game, and didn’t spark the team in the return game even when given the opportunity.
Now, the Browns are stuck with three more years of a contract with Haden, owing him around $11 million per year. A trade would be ideal, but this massive contract will be unattractive to any team, especially given the way Haden has under performed.
This puts the Browns in a very difficult situation, without a doubt. Regardless, the front office needs to approach it objectively and assess Haden’s true value to the team. Clearly, he is no longer the cornerback fans initially fell in love with. He also isn’t acting as a leader to a young secondary, and won’t find success in a different role.
So is it time to cut ties with Haden and start over? With all of the cap space the Browns have, revamping their secondary completely wouldn’t be such a ridiculous idea. After all, Haden’s play this season has left a lot of questions.
Next: A new DC is not a bad thing
Even if he were to put forth a full season, the productivity of the former SEC standout is not at a sufficient level for this secondary to compete. Maybe it is time to give younger members of the secondary such as Briean Boddy-Calhoun and Ed Reynolds a look, and then bring in a different veteran.