Browns’ Haden is pushing for more playing time

By Nate Ulrich

Akron Beacon Journal

BEREA

Cleveland Browns rookie cornerback Joe Haden is hungry for more playing time. If he continues to prepare the way he did last week, coach Eric Mangini might satisfy his appetite.

During the past few weeks, Haden has been a bright spot for a struggling defensive secondary. He recorded his first career interception in the Browns’ 28-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Two weeks earlier, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco grabbed Haden and pushed him out of bounds, drawing an offensive pass interference penalty and saving quarterback Carson Palmer from throwing a pick.

“If he wouldn’t have grabbed me, I was gonna catch the ball,” Haden said. “It was coming right to me.”

On Sunday in the first quarter, Haden picked off a pass from Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at the Browns’ 3-yard line and returned it 62 yards before being stopped by offensive tackle Flozell Adams. The interception helped set up Phil Dawson’s franchise-record 235th field goal.

“We had two receivers and there was three DBs, so me and Abe [Elam] bracketed on [Antwaan] Randle El,” Haden said. “He ran across the field, so I just freed up and the running back ran an angle route. When he went outside and he broke back in, then I jumped inside and got the pick.

“When I cut back the first and second time, I thought I was gonna score. Definitely my teammates [were] blocking for me, and everything was pretty good. But that lineman put his hands on me, and I couldn’t go anywhere.”

Haden, whom the Browns selected out of the University of Florida with the seventh overall pick in this year’s draft, has been playing in nickel and dime situations with veteran cornerbacks Eric Wright and Sheldon Brown designated as the starters. Haden, though, could push for an increased role if he continues to progress.

“I thought he had his best week of practice since he’s been with us,” Mangini said of Haden’s preparation for the Steelers. “I think that he’s starting to understand what it means to be a pro. He’s starting to understand what it takes to prepare each week, and there’s no doubt in my mind that that week of preparation, the way that he was last week, led to his best performance since he’s been here.

“If he keeps developing, he’ll keep pushing for playing time. That’s what you want. That’s what I want. That’s what he wants, and I don’t mean I’m looking to replace anybody. I’m looking for him to get better to push those guys to replace them because that competition makes everybody better.”

Meanwhile, Wright and Brown have given up big plays week after week. Wright got turned around while covering Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace, and Roethlisberger hit Wallace with a 29-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Then, instead of tackling wide receiver Hines Ward, Wright tried to strip the ball, and Ward spun free to complete his 8-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. Brown lost tight end Heath Miller in coverage, and Miller capitalized by catching a 14-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

“It’s definitely frustrating when you see guys giving up big plays,” Haden said. “We’ve just got to start playing from high to low. When they have to go the long, hard way, they just have to do short passes, short passes, short passes. Nobody can really move the ball on us. It’s just the big plays that are getting us, so we’ve got to make sure we can stay on top [in coverage].”