Steelers ink CB Haden to three-year deal
One would hope the Steelers know something about Joe Haden that those who无毛视频檝e watched him the last couple of years don无毛视频檛.
The Steelers signed the former Cleveland Browns cornerback to a three-year contract for a reported $27 million, which is said to include a $7 million payment this season.
The Steelers went into the deal with an estimated $10.5 million in available cap space after the trade for tight end Vance McDonald. If all of Haden无毛视频檚 $7 million were to hit the cap, it would leave the Steelers with the requisite $3.5 million emergency/practice squad/roster displacement funds, but not enough to extend Stephon Tuitt无毛视频檚 contract.
Certainly Ross Cockrell无毛视频檚 $1.8 million is in danger. The other potential left cornerback, Coty Sensabaugh, who wasn无毛视频檛 at Tuesday无毛视频檚 practice, is scheduled to make $775,000 in salary.
The payoff to Haden is rather large for a player who无毛视频檚 been ravaged by injuries the last two seasons, is recovering from off-season groin surgery, and who无毛视频檚 having a poor preseason, according to the analytics-driven site Football Outsiders.
Haden, of course, was destined for stardom after the Browns made him the seventh pick in the 2010 draft. They picked him that high in spite of the fact he无毛视频檚 only 5-10 3/4 tall and was timed at the NFL Combine in 4.62 seconds. But the Browns 无毛视频� and most teams 无毛视频� believed Haden played well enough at Florida to deserve such an elite draft spot. And Haden did overcome the question marks to make the Pro Bowl following the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
But Haden无毛视频檚 career took a nosedive in 2015 when he suffered a major concussion that cost him 10 games. Last season he played through groin injuries that were surgically repaired in the off-season.
According to Football Outsiders, Haden was 76th out of 87 eligible cornerbacks in adjusted yards allowed per pass last season, and he allowed a league-high six touchdowns. His 1.48 yards per coverage snap was the 12th highest among eligible cornerbacks, and this preseaon that number went up to 1.61 with an individual passer rating allowed of 104.6.
Of course, Haden, 28, is both young enough to overcome the physical issues and old enough to help the Steelers as a savvy No. 2 cornerback.
However, the Steelers无毛视频� recent track record of finding castoff cornerbacks in August hasn无毛视频檛 been exemplary (Brandon Boykin, Justin Gilbert), nor were they particularly astute in signing injured free agent Ladarius Green last season.
Those who无毛视频檝e watched Gilbert play lately aren无毛视频檛 optimistic the Steelers无毛视频� recent bad luck will change.
无毛视频淗e plays like he无毛视频檚 awaiting his next injury,无毛视频� said one source in Cleveland. 无毛视频淪till gets around the ball. Is clearly motivated. But never was super fast and now is tentative.无毛视频�
无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 slowed down and can no longer cover a No. 1 WR,无毛视频� said another Cleveland source. 无毛视频淭he team is excited about some of the new DBs and want to see them get an opportunity.无毛视频�
The Steelers, though, have had success in patching up depleted areas. In 2010, while trying to rebuild an offensive line without reaching in the draft, the Steelers signed offensive tackle Flozell Adams in late July to replace an injured Willie Colon. Adams started all 19 games on the way to a berth in the Super Bowl.
And on another optimistic note, SteelCityInsider.net capologist Ian Whestone doesn无毛视频檛 believe all $7 million paid to Haden will hit this year无毛视频檚 cap.
无毛视频淚 would guess maybe $3 to $3.5 million,无毛视频� said Whetstone. 无毛视频淎nd I figure about $3 million in available space is needed to do a deal with Tuitt, so offhand I expect that they无毛视频檒l have just about exactly enough to pull it off.无毛视频�
The Steelers are in Charlotte preparing to play the Carolina Panthers in Thursday night无毛视频檚 preseason finale.