On Tuesday, Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden signed a five-year contract extension with the Cleveland Browns.
""This is a great day for both Joe Haden and the Cleveland Browns," General Manager Ray Farmer said. "Joe's a good, young player who's made a commitment to our organization, and he's somebody with whom we want to move forward in order to advance our football team. He's a great person. He's the right guy to both build with and build around as we attempt to become an elite football team."
Haden, 25, is regarded as a premiere shutdown cornerback in the NFL.
In 57 career games, Haden has logged 13 interceptions and 186 tackles. Following the 2013 season, Haden was selected to his first all-pro team. And rightfully so.
The following is a chart documenting the struggles of top-flight receivers when they faced Haden and the Browns defense.
| Week | Wide Receiver | Receptions | Yards |
| 1 | Mike Wallace | 1 | 15 |
| 5 | Stevie Johnson | 2 | 19 |
| 6 | Calvin Johnson | 3 | 26 |
| 7 | Jordy Nelson | 5 | 43 |
| 8 | Dwayne Bowe | 1 | 8 |
| 11 | A.J. Green | 2 | 7 |
There are weapons on offense. The object of the defense is to put obstacles in the way to stop those offensive threats. Haden is more than an obstacle. He's proved himself to be a nail that can puncture a tire, disrupting the whole flow and movement of an offense.
"It's important for us," said Head Coach Mike Pettine, "to extend our core players and continue to grow with guys that represent everything we want this team to be: Tough, hard-working and passionate. Joe obviously loves his teammates, and he loves this city."
The Browns are committed to building a winning program. Their dedication to Joe Haden proves that.
"He's a true professional," said Farmer. "When we talk about identifying talent, building through the draft, developing solid players and retaining them, Joe Haden's at the top of the list. I'm excited. Our team is excited."
