Cleveland Browns: Joe Haden likely playing for his job in 2017

Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden was great not long ago, but has struggled with injuries of late and could be playing for his job in 2017.

It’s no mistake that the Cleveland Browns host a roster largely made up of younger players. They are light on veteran players that have some gray in their beard in terms of their time in the NFL. Joe Thomas is obviously an exception in this regard, the elder statesman of the team. To a lesser degree, cornerback Joe Haden also fits the bill.

Though just 28 years old, Haden is set to begin his eighth NFL season, all spent with the Browns after they selected him seventh overall out of Florida in 2010. Right away, the cornerback made an impact and established himself as a force in the league.

Per Pro Football Focus Edge, Haden registered a grade of 87.8 by their metrics as a rookie. For reference, that grade would’ve made him the ninth-highest graded corner in the NFL in the 2016 season. Though he never reached those heights in terms of grade again, he still showed to be a viable star in the secondary. Haden’s lowest grade over the next three seasons was just 82.9. And even in 2014 when his performance dipped, he was still at 78.9 in terms of his PFF Edge overall grade.

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Over the last two seasons, however, things have started to fall apart a bit for the former Gator. He’s missed a combined 14 games in the past two years. And even when he’s been on the field, he’s often not been at 100 percent. Subsequently, his once high-level of performance has slipped greatly. Last season, per PFF Edge, Haden graded as only the 85th best overall corner in the NFL, a far cry from where he once was.

Given the Browns current regime and plans, however, time could be running out in Cleveland for Haden. There were murmurs throughout last season and the offseason about possibly trading him, though a deal never came to fruition. But as the team looks to get younger and build for the future, they’ll soon look to start saving money. That could mean Haden’s would be up as soon as next year.

Talking about the big numbers Cleveland has on the books moving forward, here’s what ESPN’s Pat McManamon said on Haden and his future with the Browns:

"He missed 14 games the past two seasons with various injuries. Those injuries are not his fault, and Haden played through a sport hernia issue last season.But teams are not going to carry big salaries for players who are not available. Haden remains a staunch Cleveland guy and he believes he is still among the best corners in the league, but to prove that he has to stay on the field. Haden has upcoming salaries of $11.1 and $10.4 million in 2018 and ’19; if he’s not productive and available this season, it will raise the real possibility he may not see those paydays in Cleveland."

What McManamon doesn’t mention that puts Haden in further dangers is the money the Browns would be in line to save should they release him after this season. Per Over The Cap, Cleveland could save $10.8 million while only incurring $3.6 million in dead cap. That’s a pretty huge chunk coming off the books, especially when you combine it with the $18 million they’d be off the hook for on Brock Osweiler’s contract.

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Thus, it’s apparent that Haden is playing for his job, or specifically his future in Cleveland where he’s spent his entire career to this point. If he can stay healthy, he’s young enough to believe that there’s still an elite cornerback within him. The first part, unfortunately, has been the issue for him. And if the injury bug bites again in 2017, chances are that Haden will be looking for a new home in 2018 free agency.

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