Oakland Raiders: Team drops ball not signing Joe Haden
By Nick Sparrow
With problems in the secondary, the Oakland Raiders signing cornerback Joe Haden made sense, but not even being considered means they dropped the ball.
The Oakland Raiders secondary has consistently struggled so far this preseason. In the three games they have played so far the secondary has shown a lack of communication and a desperate need for help. For a moment, it looked as if help could be arriving in the form of cornerback Joe Haden, who was cut from the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday.
Haden is a two-time Pro Bowler who was considered one of the best corners in the league only a few years ago. Injuries have plagued Haden recently, limiting him to only 17 games over the last two seasons. Haden has also only gotten six interceptions over the last three seasons, compared to 13 in his first four. He’s a player on the decline, but he could easily still be a valuable asset to a team’s secondary.
The Oakland secondary is surrounded by questions. Their top two draft choice in 2017, Gareon Conley and Obi Melifonwu, have missed a lot of time. Conley practiced for the first time on Tuesday but it remains unclear on how much he was able to do or how close he is to playing Week 1.
Melifonwu played for the first time last week against the Dallas Cowboys but was held out of practice following the game. Sean Smith, the Raiders current starting corner, has struggled throughout training camp and is now facing assault charges which could lead to a suspension from the league.
That is why it is so concerning that the Raiders not only let Haden get away, but were not even considered a serious threat to sign him. The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to sign Haden to a three-year deal worth $27 million. The Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, and New Orleans were seen as other potential destinations for Haden.
Next: NFL 2017: One unpopular take about each team
The Raiders need all the help they can get for their secondary and signing Haden would have been a step in the right direction. Many teams were interested in Haden. It is concerning, though, that Oakland was unable to set themselves up as even a threat to sign Haden.