Former Lions CB killed in a car accident

Hayden played all 16 games for the Lions in 2017 and was a first-round pick by the Raiders in 2013

One-time Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Hayden was one of several victims of a fatal traffic accident in Houston on Saturday.

Hayden, 33, played for the Lions in 2017. He appeared in all 16 games and recorded 44 tackles, nine PDs and scored a touchdown for Detroit on one of his two fumble recoveries.

A Houston native who played collegiately for the Cougars, Hayden was one of three former Cougars players killed in the incident. A car ran a red light in the early hours of Saturday morning and crashed into a car that Hayden and his former teammates were in. Six people were killed in all.

Hayden was a first-round pick of the Raiders back in 2013 and played for that franchise before joining the Lions. He played three more seasons with the Jaguars and one in Washington before his career ended in 2021. Hayden was notable for nearly dying on the practice field while in college after suffering torn tissue in his heart. He overcame that to turn in a nice NFL career.

On a personal note, I got a chance to interview Hayden while at Houston in preparation for the NFL draft. He was an inspirational story for overcoming his heart issue and exuded positivity throughout his unusual path to the NFL. I’ve never forgotten that. Rest in peace, D.J.

Raiders’ 2013 first-round pick D.J. Hayden dies in car crash

Former Raiders first-round pick D.J. Hayden dies in a car accident

Tragic news out Houston on Saturday as the D.J. Hayden, a 2013 first-round pick of the Oakland Raiders out of the University of Houston, was one of six people killed in a car accident.

The crash took place at 2 a.m. Saturday in Houston.

Hayden was 33. He was the 12th overall pick in 2013. He also played for the Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Zach McMillan, another former Cougar player lost his life in the accident, too.

Hayden had overcome a life-threatening situation to become a first-round pick.

Report: Former Jaguars CB D.J. Hayden killed in collision at age 33

Former Jaguars CB D.J. Hayden was reportedly one of six people killed when a car sped through a red light in Houston early Saturday morning.

Former Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback D.J. Hayden was among six people killed in Houston early Saturday morning when a car sped through a red light causing a collision with another vehicle and several pedestrians, according to Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle.

Hayden was 33.

According to Houston police, four people were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash and another two died after being transported to the hospital.

Hayden was a two-time All-Conference USA selection during his time with the Houston Cougars. In his senior season with the team, Hayden made national headlines when a collision in practice caused a tear in the inferior vena cava in his heart, a life-threatening injury. He recovered and was picked 12th overall by the Oakland Raiders in the 2013 NFL draft less than a year later.

After playing out his rookie contract with the Raiders, Hayden spent one season with the Detroit Lions before signing a three-year deal with the Jaguars in free agency in 2018. He appeared in 30 games with the Jaguars and made 15 starts.

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2022 NFL draft: Every player taken with 12th overall pick in last 10 years

Will the Vikings land the next NFL star at No. 12?

Everyone has a different opinion on what the Minnesota Vikings will end up doing with the No. 12 overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft.

That in itself is a good thing as far as first-year general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is concerned. It means he did his job to not leave any glaring holes in free agency.

Granted, the team does have obvious needs at defensive back, interior offensive line and edge rusher. But they aren’t so desperate for help in a particular area of need for them to reach at a position.

They’re in the often sought after spot of being able to take the best available player on the board, while also weighing opportunities for draft day trades. With that said, the No. 12 position on the draft board has been a bit of a sweet spot for some teams in recent history.

Here is every player taken with the pick in the last 10 years.

Commanders release veteran cornerback D.J. Hayden

D.J. Hayden was a first-round pick by the Raiders in 2013.

The Washington Commanders need depth at cornerback. On Friday, Washington released veteran cornerback D.J. Hayden, leaving the Commanders with only four corners on the offseason roster.

Hayden signed with Washington’s practice squad in Dec. 2021 but did not appear in a game. In January, the Commanders signed the veteran corner to a reserve/future contract allowing Hayden to spend the offseason with the team and potentially earn a roster spot in the summer.

Hayden was a first-round pick by the then-Oakland Raiders in 2013. After four years with the Raiders, Hayden played for the Lions and Jaguars before signing with Washington late last season.

This is obviously not a significant loss for Washington. The Commanders could sign other cornerbacks still available in free agency that offer more than Hayden at this point in his career. Still, it was surprising to see Washington waive Hayden only months after adding him to the offseason roster.

After releasing Hayden, the Commanders have Kendall Fuller, William Jackson III, Benjamin St-Juste and Corn Elder on the roster. Bobby McCain is back and can play corner, but he is Washington’s free safety. Troy Apke is also back, but he remains strictly a special-teams player.

Washington will almost certainly be in the market for a corner in the 2022 NFL draft, but how high will the Commanders select a cornerback? It all depends on who falls to them at No. 11 or No. 47. Otherwise, Washington may look to sign a veteran and add a corner on day three of the draft.

Washington signs former first-round pick to reserve/future contract

Washington signed veteran corner D.J. Hayden to a reserve/future contract Wednesday.

The Washington Football Team continues to add to the offseason roster. On Wednesday, Washington announced it had signed veteran cornerback D.J. Hayden to a reserve/future contract. Hayden is now a member of Washington’s offseason roster and will look to earn a spot on the 53-man roster in training camp.

Washington initially signed Hayden in December while the team was battling a COVID-19 outbreak. Starting cornerbacks Kendall Fuller and William Jackson III each missed time with COVID-19, and Jackson missed the season’s final three games due to injury.

Hayden was activated for two games late in the season as a COVID replacement, and he played four snaps on defense in a Week 16 loss at Dallas.

A first-round pick of the then-Oakland Raiders in 2013, the 31-year-old Hayden has spent time with the Raiders, Lions and Jaguars. Teams don’t often sign experienced veterans like Hayden to reserve/future contracts. Still, depending on what Washington does at cornerback in the offseason, he has an opportunity to make the opening-day roster. Washington opened the 2021 season with six cornerbacks, although Troy Apke was exclusively used on special teams.

Washington’s top three corners — Fuller, Jackson and Benjamin St-Juste — are all under contract for 2022.

Ron Rivera concerned about Washington’s cornerback depth against Eagles

Ron Rivera acknowledges concerns about Washington’s cornerback depth Sunday vs. Eagles.

The Washington Football Team could be in some trouble heading into their Week 17 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Starting cornerback William Jackson III is out with a calf injury, the second consecutive game he has missed.

Fortunately for Washington, Kendall Fuller is back. Fuller missed the Week 15 game against the Eagles due to COVID-19. However, outside of Fuller and Danny Johnson, Washington has depth issues against a team that finished with over 500 yards of total offense against them only two weeks ago.

One of Washington’s corners, Darryl Roberts, is currently on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Washington could elevate veteran D.J. Hayden from the practice squad for Sunday’s game.

Considering Washington’s cornerback depth at the beginning of the season, it’s remarkable it heads into Week 17 with only two of the original six cornerbacks healthy: Fuller and Troy Apke, who plays almost exclusively on special teams.

Torry McTyer and Benjamin St-Juste were lost for the season, Roberts is on the COVID list, and Jackson will miss his fourth game of the season. Johnson was elevated from the practice squad and has played well for Washington.

Washington coach Ron Rivera spoke to the media Friday and acknowledged concerns about his team’s depth at cornerback.

“Well, it’s very thin right now,” Rivera said about cornerback. “We’re a little concerned obviously, just hoping that we can keep everybody healthy through this weekend, and we’ll get those guys back next week, and we’ll go from there. But, it is a little precarious.”

Rivera did express confidence in Hayden, a former first-round pick and nine-year NFL veteran.

“You see a lot of the savvy vet come into play,” Rivera said of Hayden. “The way he goes through his progressions as a corner and the techniques he uses, you can see that he’s a veteran guy that knows how to play certain things.”

It’s good Rivera likes what he sees from Hayden because it’s very likely he’ll need to play a significant number of snaps Sunday.

 

 

Colts held tryout for DBs Grant Haley, D.J. Hayden

Colts held a tryout for DBs Grant Haley and D.J. Hayden.

The Indianapolis Colts held a tryout for defensive backs Grant Haley and D.J. Hayden on Tuesday, per the league’s transaction wire.

Haley, 25, entered the league as an undrafted free agent signing with the New York Giants in 2018 out of Penn State. He spent two seasons with the Giants appearing in 25 games (12 starts) recording 76 tackles (65 solo), seven tackles for loss and two passes defended.

Haley spent the 2020 season with the New Orleans Saints practice squad, appearing in just one game. In that game, though, he recorded an interception.

Hayden was a first-round pick with the Oakland Raiders in 2013. He spent four seasons with the Raiders (2013-2016) before joining the Detroit Lions (2017) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2018-2020).

In 91 career games (41 starts), Hayden has recorded four interceptions, 46 passes defended and 15 tackles for loss.

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Josh Allen, Daniel Thomas, D.J. Hayden all placed on IR

The Jacksonville Jaguars placed several notable names from their defense on injured reserve Tuesday in defensive end Josh Allen (knee), nickleback D.J. Hayden (knee), and rookie safety Daniel Thomas (arm). All three decisions came after a Week 11 …

The Jacksonville Jaguars placed several notable names from their defense on injured reserve Tuesday in defensive end Josh Allen (knee), nickleback D.J. Hayden (knee), and rookie safety Daniel Thomas (arm). All three decisions came after a Week 11 battle with the Pittsburgh Steelers, which left the Jags severely wounded heading into Week 12.

For Hayden, his season will now end because it’s his second time on IR. With it being a contract year for him, Week 11’s game against the Steelers could be his last as a Jaguar. Hayden will exit this season with 18 tackles and a pass breakup.

Like Hayden, Allen also exited Sunday’s game early and had to be helped off the field by trainers with a knee injury. He received good news earlier in the week as it was revealed he had no ligament damage though he’ll miss three weeks or more.

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Thomas is a player who flashed on various occasions since the bye and started in two games against the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers. He also blocked a punt against the Los Angeles Chargers and snagged a interception Sunday against the Steelers. He currently has 18 total tackles (16 solo) and two pass deflections.

Allen and Thomas will be eligible to return after three games. That means it might not be until Week 15’s game against the Baltimore Ravens until we see both or either player take the field in 2020 — if at all.

Jags activate CB D.J. Hayden from injured reserve heading into battle with Steelers

The Jags have activated their most experienced cornerback from injured reserve.

When the Jacksonville Jaguars take the field Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, they will have their most experienced defensive back suiting up IN D.J. Hayden (hamstring). As expected, the Jags activated the eight-year veteran from injured reserve Saturday after he was designated to return earlier in the week.

On Thursday, Jags coach Doug Marrone came out to reveal that the Jags had plans to get Hayden on the field Sunday on his radio show as the team could be without their two starting corners in Sidney Jones IV and C.J. Henderson. Jones is currently questionable with an Achilles injury while Henderson went on IR this week after injuring his groin in practice.

With Hayden now back, he’ll man the nickelback position and will join Chris Claybrooks and Tre Herndon if Jones doesn’t suit up. The team could also make Josiah Scott and Luq Barcoo active to give them better numbers at cornerback.

Hayden was initially placed on IR after Week 4’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He temporarily exited the season with 13 tackles, and one pass breakup to his name.