The agent for Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joe Haden said the three-time Pro Bowl player will play out his current deal and test free agency in 2022.
Haden earlier this month said he wanted to sign an extension with the club to remain in Pittsburgh beyond this season. But the Steelers don’t negotiate contract extensions during the regular season, which begins Sept. 12.
Further, the Steelers are still engaged with pass rusher T.J. Watt on a new deal, one that is expected to make him the highest-paid defensive player in the league.
“Joe has never been an unrestricted free agent before and is excited about that opportunity,” agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN on Wednesday. “We expect him to have a very strong market.”
The salary cap is expected to increase significantly in 2022.
Haden, 32, has started all 56 games in which he’s played for the Steelers since joining the team in 2017. He played his first seven seasons in Cleveland, making the Pro Bowl twice with the Browns. He made the Pro Bowl with the Steelers after the 2019 season.
For his career, Haden has 29 interceptions and 149 passes defensed since being taken No. 7 overall by the Browns in the 2010 draft.
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–Field Level Media