BEREA, Ohio -- The 2015 season could be considered a lost one for Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden.
The two-time Pro Bowl defensive back lost 11 games because of an injured finger, ankle problems and had his season finished off by a second concussion in a month’s time when he suffered a head injury in a loss to the Arizona Cardinals on November 1st.
But after consulting with doctors in Pittsburgh about the concussion and having surgery to repair damage to the ankle, Haden is chomping at the bit to get back on the field despite being placed on the physically unable to perform list ahead of training camp, which got underway on Friday in Berea.
“I’m feeling good, feeling good,” Haden said. “I just finished up a little bit of work, got a little bit of work in. The ankle’s feeling a whole lot better and we’re making progress. I still don’t have a timetable. I’m ready whenever. Me and the trainers have a nice schedule of working out, so whenever they say I’m good to go, I’ll be good to go.
“It’s on its way. I’ve been working hard, been here the whole offseason and the training staff, we’ve been doing a really good job. We have a really good schedule, and I’m just getting better every day. Whenever they say I’m ready to go, I’ll be out there.”
Haden entered 2015 on the heels of back-to-back trips to the Pro Bowl, but was limited to just five games because of the myriad of injuries. And after registering just 22 total tackles, including 18 solo efforts, only two passes defended and no interceptions, Haden is ready to return and erase the memories of 2015.
“Maybe J.G. He’s a close second, but I would say I’m working hard, man,” Haden said. “I just can’t wait to get back out there. It’s really a ‘what have you done for me lately’ league, and you kind of see that when it was a very bad season for me last year. I had high expectations and I definitely didn’t live up to them. I’m just ready to get back out there and prove that I’m still one of the best corners in the league.”
During the offseason, the Browns lost one of their safeties in free agency and released another late in the process.
But with Ibraheim Campbell and Jordan Poyer expected to fill voids left by Pro Bowl safeties Tashaun Gipson and Donte Whitner, Haden knows his return to the field could help fellow cornerback Tramon Williams anchor a young, inexperienced secondary.
“I just see a lot of potential, just a lot of dudes that at the same time, there’s not much expected from,” Haden said. “I see the effort that they put in, the work ethic, the attention to detail that they take, and they’re hungry to play. They’re hungry to make a name for themselves. Just having that and not having that expectation, I think it takes a lot of pressure off them dudes.
“With I.C. and Poyer, they’ve never really started. They haven’t played too much, but the thing that I see at practice, they know what they’re doing. They’re really attentive and they’re super smart. They just have so much of an upside, so there’s only on the way up.”
