Joe Haden is waiting in the wings for an opportunity

[Mr. T]

For a lot of people, the arrogance and brashness of defensive backs is a turn off. I don’t generally like that kind of swagger in people, but I am willing to accept that it might be a necessary attribute for the job of NFL cornerback. It really makes you look stupid on days when you get torn up by a wide receiver. Then again, at least Eric Wright didn’t pull up lame with a “hamstring injury” as Anquan Boldin waltzed into the end zone, right? For all the brashness and arrogance talking about his “Pro Bowl Talent” Eric Wright knew that he had a bad game yesterday and he owned it. When he was talking to Mary Kay Cabot yesterday he was quite honest and frank. He admitted that he had a horrible day, he didn’t play up to his ability and that he let his team down.

 

There is no sense in harping on it (or tweeting pictures of his failures at him) at this point. Everyone knows what happened including Wright. Now, he must pay attention to that old adage about having a short memory. He needs to forget about it because Ochocinco and T.O. are coming next week. If he doesn’t the results could be disastrous like they have been for Brandon McDonald.

There was a time when Brandon McDonald was a great story. He was a 5th round pick in 2007 and he stepped up and became a starting corner for the Cleveland Browns opposite Eric Wright. He did this out of necessity after Leigh Bodden was traded to the Detroit Lions as a part of the Shaun Rogers deal. McDonald wasn’t a perfect player by any stretch, but he was a pleasant surprise. He was still young and it was assumed that he was getting better. Then he had a nightmare game to end all nightmares.

 

In Brady Quinn’s debut as a Cleveland Brown, McDonald got torched for a 93 yard TD to Eddie Royal. To make matters worse, he then gave up the game-winner to Brandon Marshall with just over a minute left in the game to allow Denver to go up 34-30. In his ninth game since being named a starting NFL cornerback, Brandon McDonald was exposed. The doubts started to creep into the fan base about his ability and potential.

 

Maybe Brandon McDonald never had the talent to back up that swagger. Maybe he was never going to be a front line starter in the NFL. He did have a few good games to his name even after that horrible one against Denver. Still, those are the games that could easily come to define a corner in the NFL if he allows it to define him. The great ones shake it off, work harder, come back and prove that it is just a negative anomaly.

 

It is in all our best interest that he does just that. Joe Haden is waiting in the wings for an opportunity, but he needs a starting corner opposite him in the future. Sheldon Brown has been a very positive acquisition, but at the age of 31, he is headed toward the twilight of his career at a speed position like corner. Here’s hoping Wright restores order and swagger to his name this week against Cincy. It won’t be easy, but he really doesn’t have any other options.

 

Source

[next2nothing]

Haden made a couple nice breakups yesterday. I can't wait to see this kid in his prime.

[Mr. T]

Haden made a couple nice breakups yesterday. I can't wait to see this kid in his prime.

 

Im with you on that. He showed a great presence on the field and made some good plays.

[ATENEARS]

Man, Eric Wright has a tough road ahead. Again, I'll blame the coaches for not rolling coverage over or replacing him with Haden. As a coach, you have to protect your players, you can't allow their confidence to get beaten into the rug. Wright has a long road ahead and a very tough opponent coming to town. He might be better off being benched and brought back up slowly.

[Gips]

I think that haden should have been matched against boldin especially when the browns were blitzing, i would rather watch a future elite CB getting schooled by an elite WR than to watch a less than mediocre CB lose us the game...just so many bad decisions that its hard to believe or comprehend..

 

I feel for hillis ,vickers, wallace, cribbs, our improving O-line and all the defense minus elam and wright who really put in a mans day of work for a big fat 0 by little or no fault of their own...

 

But thank them for their effort..its really not so much the talent as the inexperience of some of the younger talent we never get to see and the all round crap coaching thats not doing much to build or bolster these young guys with confidence or development...

 

We may have an unknown tactical nuclear weapon rotting on the bench and or practice field but it will never be put in the silo let alone given the chance to be utilized..

[Mr. T]

Possibly Wright could be moved to safety and be very productive, when you are a corner you have to have a short memory. Im sorry to say the man needs a vacation from corner spot for a while.

 

If he gets beat up again this sunday like he did against Baltimore he could becoma a mental player and never be the same.

 

 

[WebsterSlaughter]

Eric Wright is not a mediocre corner. Not in my eyes or in the eyes of the scouts. He has had some very good games against WR's better than Boldin. I could have been closer to Boldin on some of those plays than he was. Obviously something was wrong because Chekwa from Ohio State would have done a better job. Something was definitely wrong with him yesterday. He will be fine. My problem is that he did not inform the coaches that he wasn't up to the task yesterday so they could have schemed around it. Maybe he was scared. I really don't know what was wrong with the guy. Maybe his wife/girlfriend cheated on him or something.

[massbrownsfan]

Yep I agree lets give Haden the start see what Happens I like Him.

[ballpeen]

That breakup on the 3rd down play were he came back, reached around on the buttonhook....curl these days, and swatted the ball was textbook.

 

 

I say play him. And the fact he is a rook makes it easier for him to bounce back....it's much easier to tell yourself you are still learning the in's and out's of the NFL v. a 3-4 year vet.

 

 

 

Someone said safety.....It might be an idea. I am big on corners.....I wouldn't mind another top corner in the next year or two....or somebody who turns in to one.

 

 

The problem we have in C-town is many fans grew up thinking Leigh Bodden was a good corner.....Leigh Bodden pretty much fit the bill as a below average corner who managed to make a name for himself on a below average team.

[pizzadeliveryguy]

He has had some very good games against WR's better than Boldin.

Who? There really aren't too many WRs in the NFL that are better than Boldin.

[Mark O]

I think it wasn't so much that Wright was getting beat...it's the way he was getting beat. The 2nd TD he wasn't even in the play, he was running out the back of the end zone while the receiver was running in front of him. He was lost out there and when the CB looks that lost, what was going to hurt playing Haden at that point.

 

 

[hoorta]

I think it wasn't so much that Wright was getting beat...it's the way he was getting beat. The 2nd TD he wasn't even in the play, he was running out the back of the end zone while the receiver was running in front of him. He was lost out there and when the CB looks that lost, what was going to hurt playing Haden at that point.

 

Yup, and on the first TD, EW acted like the ball was unplayable- he could at least have gotten his hands up to try and distract Boldin- not that it would have mattered much.

 

I'll give Wright a mulligan on that game- it happens-but that was some of the most horrible coverage I've ever seen by an NFL cornerback. Wright's worst game ever as a pro- so he at least gets a second chance.

 

And by only keeping three true corners we're virtually forced to anyway. Anyone who thinks Adams could have done a better job covering Boldin Sunday had better stop whatever they're smoking.