Browns: 5 players the team never should have let go of
By Chad Porto
Joe Haden
This one personally hurts. Joe Haden was one of the Browns best defensive players until Sashi Brown reared his ugly head again and cut Joe Haden for not taking a pay cut. A pay cut, mind you, that the Browns didn’t need him to take. The Browns had $110 million in cap space (you read that right) to start the season and tried to have Haden take a $4 million pay cut for no reason.
It was a move that destroyed the locker room and pretty much sealed the deal on the season before it ever began. It made no sense, even in hindsight, considering that Brock Osweiler was making $16 million and he wasn’t even on the Browns anymore. The Browns didn’t need to cut Haden.
What’s even worse, is that Haden has returned to his Pro Bowl ways, only missing five games over the last three years and earning a Pro Bowl spot in the 2019 season. He’s very likely going to make another in 2020 at this rate.
To imagine what the Browns would have looked like with Haden and Denzel Ward will forever haunt fans, especially when you realize Haden wanted to retire a Brown. If Haden was still on the team today, the loss of Greedy Williams wouldn’t have mattered, and Terrence Mitchell may actually be useful. The entire defense could actually be good.