Browns top pick Joe Haden agreed to terms on a five-year deal worth $50 million, with $26 million guaranteed.
Joe Haden agrees on a five-year, $50 million deal, with $26 million guaranteed.Updated 2:05 p.m.
CLEVELAND -- Browns top pick Joe Haden agreed to terms on a five-year deal worth $50 million, with $26 million guaranteed, Haden's agent Malik Shareef told the Plain Dealer.
Haden missed the morning practice but will try to be on the field for the evening session.
"Joe is excited,'' said Shareef. "We'd like to thank the Browns for all their hard work on this.''
Shareef said the goal all along was to get Haden into camp on time -- and he missed only one fullsquad practice.
"The Browns would like to have him on the field for the evening session, so hopefully we'll get it signed and get him out there by then. I know Joe is ready to go.''
Shareef said fans will love Haden's attitude and work ethic. "He's a very high character guy and Joe is going to come in there and work his tail off. He's going to do a fabulous job.''
Haden, the No. 7 overall pick out of Florida, will compete for a starting job with incumbents Eric Wright and Sheldon Brown. If he doesn't start right away, he figures to get playing time in nickel and dime defenses.
Browns coach Eric Mangini downplayed a report by Mike Lombardi of nationalfootballpost.com that Haden struggled in minicamp and that the staff is concerned. "A lot of rookies don't play as fast as they can at this point,'' said Mangini. "They're thinking.''
Haden flew into town on Thursday morning so he could be ready to practice at a moment's notice.