Lately in the free agency series, we have been looking at some of the older veterans, including Vonnie Holliday. 83% of you voted that Holliday is a player that the Arizona Cardinals should look to retain. Not only did he play well in his limited time on the field, but he was a great veteran presence to have in the locker room.
Today, we continue the trend of looking at the veterans by examining outside linebacker Clark Haggans. Haggans just turned 35 years old this past month and he has shown some signs of slowing down on the field. So I'll ask you: should the Cardinals bring back Clark Haggans?
As aforementioned, Haggans is now 35 years old, but he still shows flashes of being the dominant pass rusher that he was while with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since joining the Cardinals as a free agent in 2008, Haggans has collected 14 total sacks.
This past season, Haggans collected 4 sacks, 6 QB hits and 25 pressures according to Pro Football Focus. He played in and started all 16 games and was in on 75% of the total defensive snaps.
The only problem is that PFF graded him negatively in almost every aspect of the game. He struggled getting to the quarterback given the amount of snaps he played. If the ball was handed off to the running back, Haggans was rarely effective in helping out in run defense. I believe his age really showed through this season, as he started off the year with positive grades for the first few games, but really struggled down the stretch.
So, I'll ask again: is Clark Haggans a player that the Cardinals should consider bringing back? He will be an unrestricted free agent in March, meaning that he will be free to sign with any team. Sam Acho is a guaranteed starter at outside linebacker and depending on the draft and free agency, the other starting position might be filled as well. If the Cardinals can manage to bring Haggans back on a cheap deal, I feel that he can be effective as a reserve. Keeping his snap count down will be key. If the Cards can manage to do that, then I believe he is a veteran that is worth retaining.
What do you think? Should the Arizona Cardinals keep Clark Haggans? Vote in the poll and leave your comments below.
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