DeShone Kizer wants to be the Browns QB for next 10-15 years
August 29, 2017Fare Thee Well, Joe Haden: While We’re Waiting
August 30, 2017There are tough decisions made by NFL front offices almost every day. Even with signings and drafts and extenstions, cut days tend to be the most difficult ones. Wednesday is a day that was undoubtedly hard for the Browns front office. In advance of Saturday’s deadline of cutting the 90-man roster to just 53 players, the Browns have released long-time starter and two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden.
The move appears to have been made as a financial decision. The Browns save $3.6 million on the 2017 cap. Assuming they do not spend that money, it will rollover onto the 2018 cap. In addition to that rollover money, the Browns have moved the $3.2 million commitment next year for Haden’s signing bonus to 2017, so cutting him now has created a potential $6.8 million on the Browns 2018 cap. It is possible that the Browns will sign some post-cut players from other teams, but doubtful the Browns will spend a significant portion of that money in 2017.
The Browns also reportedly met with Haden and his representation in Tampa Bay to attempt to have him take a pay cut. He declined.
Per source, Browns tried to get Joe Haden to take a pay cut from his $11 million salary. Haden declined. He's now a free agent.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 30, 2017
Haden has been slowed by injuries over the past few years, he was limited to only five games in 2015 and 13 in 2016, and his play while on the field has been less than stellar. Cornerback stats are always a bit harder to judge, but Haden had noticeably lost a step or two when he was able to gear up and play. News broke yesterday that the Browns were aggressively trying to find a trade partner for Haden yesterday, but evidently, there were no takers.
Cutting Haden leaves a hole at starting corner, which should be filled by Briean Boddy-Calhoun or Jason McCourty. Both will see time at the position and will be starting across from Jamar Taylor. Boddy-Calhoun started seven games last year for Cleveland, his rookie season, and impressed Head Coach Hue Jackson and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams through training camp and the preseason. Jason McCourty is in his first season with the Browns after coming over from Tennessee.
Both Hue Jackson and Browns Executive Vice President of Football Operations Sashi Brown had glowing remarks in regards to Haden. “Joe gave everything he had for the Cleveland Browns and that’s all you can ask for as a coach,” said Browns Head Coach Hue Jackson. “He was a leader on and off the field. I wish him all the best as he continues his career.” Sashi Brown had this to say, “We want to thank Joe for all he has done for this organization both on and off the field. He has been a great teammate and a true asset to the Cleveland community. These are very difficult decisions, we have the utmost respect for Joe and in my eyes, he will always be a Cleveland Brown.”
It’s tough to see a player like Haden cut from the team, especially on a defense that has looked promising in the preseason. Getting savings for next year wherever possible has been the focal point of the front office for some time, and this is a move made with an eye to the future.
128 Comments
Team Rational is looking pretty good this year. They’ll probably finish second in the season standings… ahead of Team Conspiracy, neck-and-neck with Team Sunnyside, but looking up at the perennial juggernaut Team Snark
#GPODAWUND4LIFE
For someone that doesn’t care, you sure seem to care!
LMAO !! … you are right , man … but doesn’t it feel a little different this time & that we have a FO & HC that actually know what they’re doing ?? i don’t blame anyone for being skeptical.
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More like…
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Don’t think Haden was necessarily going to start regular season games. The only hole they created was a back-up CB, which will easily be filled.
Money aside, Joe Haden was terrible on the field last year ( as in giving up near perfect passing levels) and looked like hot garbage in the pre season. His subtraction and replacement does make us better actually. PT and a roster spot for anyone else is better.
I would argue that the Stockholm Syndrome, if it exists, exists only in relation to being held captive by our affection for favorite players on a terrible team.
HAZLUMZ R CHEEP!!!
This is the best type of commenting.
every time I’ve just ’bout had it with the relentless GIF-ing for GIF’s sake … perfection.
Salud.
Yup. If you could guarantee him a Super Bowl for $100 million, the Brinks truck would be in the driveway within an hour.
How dare you, sir? He blocked for our sins! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4702fd884437bb71dd235d432bb106e6f828b0f0a5a80141acacf831b9791212.jpg
Probably for the best, right? Let him roam and be a hawk. He’s good at lots of things, but at least returning interceptions for 30+ yards should help cover for an anemic offense!
As with last season, this season is not about winning “this season,” though I hope (and expect) that we might be pleasantly surprised in that regard. This season is about next season and the season after that, and keeping Haden on the team now does nothing to help the future, and could hinder it.
Saint Lawrence!!!!
There are indeed times when a well-placed and well-crafted gif is more efficient and effective than trotting out the same old paragraphs of rebuttal to the same old arguments. If only we could do this in legal briefs.
I believe it is spelled Curt Kousins
We’ve been over this. It’s Court Cuisines.
GIFs are awesome, Harv. They speak in ways words cannot. Appreciate them.
Full name, please. Saint Lawrence of Vickers.
I want him doing everything. FS, SS, WOLB, blitz him from CB even. I want “Havoc” to be everywhere (I have settled on that being my nickname for him).
Mea culpa.
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I like where you’re going with this. From now on, the Browns will employ only 7 men on defense. Cappity, cappity, cap, cap space!!
Like garlic, like yelling, like a bunt they have their special, beautiful place. Not in the coffee, the library or down 8 in the 9th.
No, you are thinking about Court Coursey
can I get an amen, somebody?
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I always thought it was Kirk Coubain. Man, I was way off!
No, no, you’re thinking of Coubain Juniors Gooding.
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[DRAT]
Careful what you ask for. (Be careful of what you ask?)
You know what you did. We never hold back our GIFs. It’s an addiction
if this morphs into low-brow Gif-horse puns imma onna leave o’absence. This place is merciless. Without merci. Cruel + unusual.
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Hey, everybody! Harv just made a pun!!! Harv just made a pun!!!!! Harv just made a pun!!!!!!!
Christmas in August. And not even a Friday in August. Wow. What a country.
“Big money” is only relevant if a team is up against the cap and needs that money to do something else.
Otherwise, they should field the best team available, which would include Haden.
easy, cowboy. The scientist teaching with syphilis diagrams doesn’t have it. Necessarily.
This is a legit point, if you think he going to return to pre-2015 Joe. We’ll know at the end of this season.
https://twitter.com/PFF/status/902890408497250304
Somewhere along the lines fandom ceased to be about players. People do not have posters of their favorite players, they have logos. They put stickers on their cars that say browns and wear jerseys of players they never connected with just because it says Browns. The NFL gained so much power over their players by removing the faces of the athletes. It’s all about the league. Sure, there are a few like Brady and Watt. But Joe Thomas is merely a name. He’s a sure fire Hall of Famer that most Clevelanders would not recognize. Compare it with Lebron and how the NBA conducts business.
By doing this, the NFL has given all its power to the owners. In fact, it is so ingrained, that people feel they are financially liable for things like Haden’s contract. If you can separate yourself from this aspect and look at this on paper, the only way the release makes sense is if the Browns have a better player available to take his spot and enough depth to make his usefulness irrelevant to the success of the team. Otherwise, you are rooting for the owner and against the teams success without even realizing it.
Joe Thomas is merely a name.
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Appreciate your perspective, but could not possibly disagree more. Football is always, and only, about the team. When I played my last high school game, nobody mourned my leaving (partly because I was not a good football player). Indeed, they still play games at that school under the same team name and colors. Same for my last game in college (in fairness, I don’t think even the coaches knew I was gone). They still play under the same name and colors.
If the Browns stocked their roster with all of my favorite guys and just kept them there for eternity, then the team would never win (mostly because my favorite Browns players are all in their 50s). They have to release players. It’s the way the team is built. It’s the way every team is built. Owners, schmowners. I don’t care about those guys. I want to see the Cleveland Browns win – not certain sentimental favorite guys in Browns gear.
He is, in fact, the greatest trade bait in NFL history.
Also, Haden was going to be a backup CB this year. In fact, the only reason he would start, if he would start at all, would be because of his salary. Talk about feeling responsible for the money other people pay! The Browns will easily replace his backup roster spot.
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so , it’s okay to waste money just because you have the cap space ???? … Haden is now the 4th best CB on this team & you still want to pay him elite CB money ?
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