4 Pittsburgh Steelers who desperately needed a change of scenery in 2022
By Tommy Jaggi
Steelers former CB Haden
Nobody should be complaining about the results Joe Haden helped this team achieve in the secondary. Since the end of Ike Taylor’s prime, the Steelers have struggled as much as any team in the league to find good cornerback play.
When Kevin Colbert had a chance to claim Haden, it was an easy decision. the former Browns’ first-round pick was excellent during his first few seasons in Pittsburgh; however, the results haven’t quite been the same over the past two.
Haden is aging now, and can’t be expected to play to the Pro Bowl level he did in his younger years. This doesn’t mean he shouldn’t have a place on an NFL roster… just not on Pittsburgh’s. The Steelers decided to get younger at CB when they extended Ahkello Witherspoon and signed Levi Wallace in free agency.
This doesn’t mean that there is zero chance Haden can return to the team, but he would likely have to sign on as a backup. There are some CB-needy teams out there who could use a veteran presence in the secondary. I don’t think Haden has a lot left in the tank, but he could still be an asset for a team defense that runs heavy zone concepts.