Joe Haden was pulled from Browns practice today for being "too rough", according to numerous sources. Haden apparently was playing rough with Browns rookie receiver Travis Benjamin, pulling his jersey numerous times and eventually pulling him down in the end zone. After pulling Benjamin down, Haden and Browns coach Pat Shurmur exchanged some words, and Haden left the field.
In post-practice comments, Shurmur refused to give much in the way of details.
“I’m not gonna talk about it,” Shurmur said. “That’s between me and the player. I have a great deal of respect for Joe. If you want details, you’re going to have to find it on Twitter. My only apology is that I used bad language and the fans were here to see it. I think it’s important that we practice smart,” Shurmur said. “You have to be able to practice at game speed [without tackling]. I want all of our guys to make it to the horse race. Everything I do, all my thoughts, revolve around our players and our team. I told the guys that.”
Yikes. Haden, who is facing a four game suspension after testing positive for Adderall, didn't record an interception last season after picking off six passes in his 2010 rookie year. Despite the lack of picks, the seventh overall pick from the 2010 draft was voted as the top cornerback in the defensive-minded AFC North by ESPN readers in a SportsNation poll last week. His possible suspension is enough of an issue, but if you add in a possible rift with the Browns coaching staff, things could turn in a hurry for his Cleveland career. The issue doesn't seem like much of anything right now, but if Shurmur has a problem with his top defensive player getting physical with a rookie in camp, there could be a lot more to the story than what we know right now.
Photo courtesy of Daylife.com
