Seattle Seahawks rumors link the team to Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden. There had been Seahawks rumors that the team might want to acquire Haden from the Cleveland Browns, with an eye on improving the secondary even further for the 2017 NFL season. While those initial rumors were not confirmed, it seemed like he could be a very good fit as a cornerback next to Richard Sherman on the field. That could certainly improve the playoff odds even further.
A report that ESPN just released states that the Cleveland Browns have released Joe Haden early Wednesday morning (Aug.
30). This means that any NFL team, including the Seattle Seahawks, can now pursue Haden as a free agent. That would remove the risk of giving up any assets to acquire him, but it could also lower the price tag a bit for the talented cornerback.
Could the Seahawks afford to add Haden to the roster?
As of 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET on August 30, Joe Haden will be free to sign with any other NFL team. Since he is now out of his contract with the Cleveland Browns, he is not subject to waivers and cannot simply be claimed by another franchise. This means that suitors could come calling very quickly, including any team that has a hole or lack of depth in the secondary. Releasing Haden will cost the Browns $3.2 million in cap space this season and $3.2 million next season, but that is of no concern to his potential new team.
It’s hard to pin down exactly what Joe Haden could make in free agency, as he is coming off a groin surgery during the offseason. Haden suffered two groin injuries during the 2016 NFL season that caused him to miss three games, which came after he missed 11 games in the 2015 NFL season due to a finger injury and a concussion.
Those injury concerns might cause some teams to approach his free agency very cautiously. It’s also why the Cleveland Browns moved on.
What has Haden done to draw the attention of the Seahawks?
It’s important to point out that a lot of the Seattle Seahawks rumors from this offseason have been fan-generated. Many fans would love to add a player like Joe Haden to the secondary, even if there has been no confirmation by head coach Pete Carroll or general manager John Schneider that the team is even looking in his direction.
It could be important for the team to at least kick the tires, though, as Haden might be a difference-maker in the secondary. Even with depth at running back the team added more players in the offseason.
Haden definitely had a reputation of being a shutdown corner with the Cleveland Browns, posting 19 interceptions during his seven seasons with the team. He also had 100 pass deflections, twice posting 20 in a season for the Browns. The two-time Pro Bowl cornerback is only 28 years old, suggesting he still has a few good years left in his body if he can stay healthy. None of the Seattle Seahawks rumors about acquiring the contract of Joe Haden made sense, but now that he has been released, he might be a player the front office has to seriously consider.
