Browns extend Haden through ’19

The Browns locked down Joe Haden (left) on a five-year extension. (USATSI)

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The Browns are locked down at cornerback for the forseeable future. Just a few days after drafting Justin Gilbert with the No. 8 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Browns signed star corner Joe Haden to an extension through 2019, the team announced.

Haden's deal is a five-year, $68 million deal with $23 million fully guaranteed and $45 million in total guarantees (the additional guaranteed money is for injury only), CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reports.

“This is a great day for both Joe Haden and the Cleveland Browns,” Browns GM 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. He's a true professional. 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.”

Haden was named to the Pro Bowl in 2013 (his first) as well as being named a second-team All-Pro member. The cornerback recorded 60 tackles and four interceptions as well as 21 passes defended.

“It's important for us 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," Browns head coach Mike Pettine said. "Joe obviously loves his teammates, and he loves this city. I know he wants to keep growing and improving as a player. That's what we need, and that's what we want. These are the types of players we want to build around, that will help us grow and win consistently.”

The $45 million in total guaranteed money is $5 million more than Richard Sherman received from the Seahawks in his recent deal.

Haden is just 25 and already is one of the better cornerbacks in the league. He's not on Sherman's level, but he is a No. 1 corner and the centerpiece of the Browns defense.

Now he's getting paid like it for the next five years.

You know who doesn't hate this deal? Fellow cornerback Patrick Peterson, who's currently waiting on a new deal from the Cardinals.

45!!!!!

— Patrick Peterson (@RealPeterson21) May 13, 2014

NFL Hot News

Bills trades: Send WR Stevie Johnson to 49ers, deal for RB Bryce Brown



This isn't news any longer, but I haven't touched on a couple of noteworthy moves the Buffalo Bills made over the weekend. In terms of fantasy impact, the bigger of the two stories is Buffalo dealing its former No. 1 wideout, Stevie Johnson, to the 49ers for a conditional 2015 fourth-round pick that could be upgraded to a third-rounder depending upon Johnson's stat line this season. That happened Friday. On Saturday, the Bills acquired running back Bryce Brown from the Eagles. The return there is the same as the Johnson trade: A conditional fourth-round pick next year that can become a third-rounder. The Eagles and Bills swapped 2014 seventh-round picks as well.



The Bills trading away Johnson was all but assured once they used their first-round pick, trading up from No. 9 to No. 4, on Sammy Watkins. Before I get to how this trade affects his fantasy stock, look at the Niners' WR depth chart: In no particular order, Johnson, Michael Crabtree, and Anquan Boldin are their obvious top three. Then you have high-upside younger Quinton Patton, and explosive rookie Bruce Ellington. Plus, Brandon Lloyd may be in the mix -- he was serviceable when he last played, in 2012 with the Patriots. And that doesn't even include tight end Vernon Davis. If nothing else, Colin Kaepernick has to love what the 49ers' brass has done to put quality targets around him. There is no shortage of outlets here for him, and it should show up in his fantasy totals.For Johnson, he is definitely no higher than the 49ers' No. 3 receiver, clearly behind Crabtree and Davis. He is probably No. 4, considering that Boldin just put up a season with more than 1,100 yards, something Johnson has never done (Side note: Who remembers that Anquan Boldin finished in the top 20 in receiving yards last season? I had forgotten completely).I realize this crowd could all steal a little bit from each other's fantasy value, but I am still high on Crabtree and Davis, and even more infatuated with Kaepernick. Johnson probably won't surpass his best numbers in Buffalo, making him only a bye-week fill-in or WR4/5 in fantasy, even if this is a smart trade for the 49ers.With Johnson across the country, Watkins should be E.J. Manuel's go-to target from Week 1. There are bound to be growing pains, but if Watkins is as good as advertised, he can post low-end WR2 numbers in 12-team leagues as a rookie. As I said when Watkins was drafted, his fantasy value will depend on Manuel's maturation more than anything else.The Bryce Brown deal makes sense for both sides. The Bills add some youth to their running game, one that will see 33-year-old Fred Jackson enter this season as a free agent-to-be. And C.J. Spiller can opt out after this season as well. Meanwhile, the Eagles turn a former seventh-round pick who they had little use for given the current inclusion of LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles into a fourth-round pick.By now, we all understand Brown's strengths and weaknesses. He possesses special athleticism and acceleration for a runner his size -- 6 feet tall, 220 pounds -- but he too often looks to break off big plays instead of following his blockers, and he does not like to run inside. It's up to the Bills now to take Brown's physical gifts and make him a more complete runner. If they can do that, they will have a special one-two punch with him and Spiller for years to come -- assuming the Bills can get a long-term deal done with Spiller. Brown will open this season as just a third-string back who needs those in front of him to suffer some bad luck to have any real fantasy value. But he could be worth a stash in deep dynasty leagues.