Joe Haeg of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Cleveland Browns added some insurance to their offensive line on Sunday by inking veteran offensive tackle Joe Haeg to a deal.
Haeg visited with the Raiders this week but decided the Browns would be a better fit for his services. Haeg is in his sixth year in the NFL and became a free agent when he was let loose by the Steelers during the final wave of cuts. He was originally selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2016 draft out of North Dakota State.
He started 35 games with the Colts before moving on to the Buccaneers for a year, winning a Super Bowl ring. He most recently spent some time with the Steelers, starting two games last season. Haeg was strong in those appearances, earning a 67.5 overall grade on Pro Football Focus.
Haeg is the latest edition to the roster as the Browns look to fine-tune their 53-man roster.
“That 53-man roster is a puzzle,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said on August 30. “You are trying to put it together and be smart about how you do it. We will see how it shakes out.”
Jack Conklin’s Status Still Uncertain for Week 1
The Browns made a move for Haeg because starter Jack Conklin is still working his way back from a ruptured right patellar tendon. Conklin had surgery to repair the injury this offseason but his status for Week 1 is uncertain.
“I am not ready to comment to Week 1,” Stefanski said. “I think all along, Jack has done everything we have asked him to do in his rehab. He has worked very, very hard. He is progressing, but I do not think we will make that call until next week.”
If Conklin is unable to go, either veteran swing tackle Chris Hubbard or James Hudson III would draw the start, but Stefanski was not willing to say what direction he was leaning.
“We have options. We are not going to set that just yet, but we have options there,” Stefanski said.
Haeg would serve as an emergency backup in a pinch and luckily carries some starting experience. He would also join an elite unit, which includes All-Pro guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller, which would help relieve some of the pressure.
Browns Eyeing Deal With TE Jesse James
The Browns have been linked to another former Steeler in tight end Jesse James, who came in for a workout last week.
The report of a move being in the works comes from Brad Stainbrook of the Orange and Brown Report, who tweeted the update on September 2.