Joe Haden had his first taste of free agency when he was released by the Browns early Wednesday morning. Teams were lined up at the door asking the cornerback for his services on their team. Haden and his agent weren't expecting to be on the market for long with his agent saying he'll have "a new team by tomorrow afternoon."
It only took until Wednesday evening for Haden to lock down a contract with a new team. He decided to stay in the AFC North and sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Haden gets what he wants by signing with a title contender and the Steelers get much-needed talent in their secondary.
Depth at the right price
The Steelers were the front runners to sign Haden as soon as he hit the market. The deal is reportedly a three-year deal worth $27 million. The Steelers knew that they had to bring out the checkbook for Haden, as he denied taking a pay cut with the Browns that led to his release. The Steelers managed to negotiate with Haden, offering him $9 million/year. Pittsburgh is the big winner with this signing, as they get a potential starting corner in Haden for a good price. The Steelers' secondary was their glaring weakness last season, as many QBs could have a field day torching the young secondary of Pittsburgh. Now that they signed a quality corner in Haden, the defense is one step closer to becoming a newer version of the Steel Curtain.
Health and revenge
One thing that made teams hesitant to sign the former pro bowl corner was his health. Haden has fought through an array of injuries over the last two seasons. He fought through a finger injury in 2015 and missed the final eight games due to a concussion. In 2016, he was dealing with a groin injury, which caused him to miss three games, but played through the injury over the final nine games.
That injury required offseason surgery. Haden seems to be 100 percent, and he is ready to hush the critics that say his pro bowl days are behind him.
Haden is excited to stay in the AFC North as he will face the Browns twice every season. This is the perfect opportunity for Haden to show the Browns what they truly missed out on.
Haden shared a post thanking the Browns for everything they've done, but all players seek a little revenge against their former team, and Haden is no different. Haden is only 28-years-old, which means he has a lot left in the tank and is ready to put the league on notice that he is still one of the best corners in the game of football.
