Getty A proposed trade sees the Bucs acquiring Joe Haden to upgrade from Richard Sherman.
It’s no secret that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ glaring flaw is their defensive backfield.
While the Buccaneers have glided to a 6-1 start to the 2021 season, their pass defense remains a major concern heading into the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 2. Tampa Bay currently ranks 23rd in passing yards and 21st in passing touchdowns allowed.
While key contributors such as cornerback Richard Sherman and safety Antoine Winfield are recovering from their injuries, the Buccaneers’ top two corners — Sean Murphy-Bunting and Carlton Davis — remain on injured reserve with no timetables regarding a return.
It’s clear that if the Buccaneers want to maintain their superiority over their competition, acquiring a cornerback at the deadline is of the utmost importance. According to CBS Sports’ Patrik Walker, a proposed trade that sees the Bucs upgrading from Sherman by acquiring Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joe Haden “just makes sense.”
“The defending champions are looking as good as they’ve ever looked in the Tom Brady era, but their attempt at using Richard Sherman to upgrade their secondary isn’t going as planned,” says Walker. “Sherman quickly went down with a hamstring injury and is now helping coach from the sidelines instead of on the field, while Haden’s future with the Steelers gets murkier by the day. Haden still has a lot of tread left on his tires, and he would instantly be what Sherman couldn’t. This isn’t to write off Sherman, but once he returns, there’s clearly no guarantee he can stay healthy, so grabbing Haden just makes sense.”
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Bucs Could Upgrade From Sherman
It’s clear that Walker isn’t too high on Sherman and it’s not hard to see why. While the veteran cornerback has immediately stepped in to fill a major void for the Buccaneers, his work in coverage has been subpar.
The 33-year-old cornerback has a posted a 48.1 grade in coverage this season, according to Pro Football Focus. For perspective, that ranks dead last among all Bucs cornerbacks who have appeared in at least two games this season.
By comparison, the 32-year-old Haden isn’t what he used to be, but he remains a solid starting corner at his advanced age. The 12th-year veteran has posted a 61.8 grade in coverage, which ranks him 66th among all qualifying corners, according to PFF.
Furthermore, Haden has done it as the Steelers’ top cornerback through five games, while appearing in 204 snaps in coverage on defense — the most of any of Pittsburgh’s corners.
Even more impressive is the fact that the old veteran has played in every defensive snap this season.
To the Buccaneers’ benefit, Haden is in the final year of his deal — which would make him a worthwhile short-term rental before any possible decline kicks in.
Are Steelers Willing to Deal Haden?
The question becomes this: are the Steelers willing to trade an acclaimed veteran cornerback (three-time Pro Bowler and former All-Pro) when they’re still clearly trying to contend in Ben Roethlisberger’s potential final season?
The Steelers will match up one more time prior to the trade deadline against the Cleveland Browns in Week 8. The Browns may possibly play a second consecutive game without starting quarterback Baker Mayfield.
If Pittsburgh falters against Cleveland — especially with backup QB Case Keenum — they’ll drop to 3-4 and will basically be out of the race for the AFC North.
Acquiring Haden for a lower-value draft pick such as a fourth or fifth-rounder isn’t out of the realm of possibilities. In fact, Brad Spielberger of PFF floats the idea of Haden’s trade value being around a fifth-round draft pick in a proposed trade involving the Green Bay Packers.
Trading a player of a similar salary — tight end O.J. Howard earns a little over $6 million this season — is also possible. The Steelers have been underwhelming at the tight end position this season with starter Eric Ebron pulling in just seven receptions for 47 yards.
Considering the Buccaneers are all-in on the quest for a Super Bowl this season, that’s a small price to pay for a major upgrade at a key position.