Free Agent Profile - Rex Hadnot

As was reported here at MHR last night, the Broncos are pursing Cleveland center Rex Hadnot.  They are scheduled to visit with the 7-year veteran today.

Hadnot would immediately make the Broncos bigger up front and would add more depth to the line of scrimmage, although I would project him as a starter next year.  At 6'2 and 320 lbs, he certainly fits the mold of the type of lineman that Josh McDaniels wants to bring to the Mile High City.  Hadnot started 6 games last year for the Browns.  But don't let this fool you.  He battled a knee injury for most of the first half of the season, which kept him out of the lineup, so he only took 297 total snaps.  When he returned, he rotated at right guard with Floyd Womack. 

Hadnot was a 6th-round draft pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2004.   He played his college ball at Houston.  This from the Cleveland Browns website:

Four-year letterman (2000-03) and three-year starter (2001-03) at Houston...Started all 13 games at center as a senior after playing guard his first three seasons...Named as a first-team All-Conference USA pick...Did not allow a sack in more than 400 pass attempts...Set team record with 196 knockdown blocks...Played in the Hula Bowl following senior season...Started all 12 games at guard as a junior...Named as a second team All- Conference USA choice...Named the Cougars' Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Texas as he recorded seven pancake blocks and 13 knockdowns... Started 11 games as a sophomore...Played in all 11 games as a redshirt freshman.

You might be inclined to think that this is a move to simply add depth, but Hadnot doesn't see it this way.  He is interested in one thing, and one thing alone: becoming a starter in the NFL.   Here is what his agent, J.R. Rickert, recently said when discussing an extension with the Browns:

"We had some preliminary talks, but it looks like he's going to be testing the market to see if he can get better value from another team, He's enjoyed his two years in Cleveland but he would like to see if he can get the opportunity to start full time somewhere."

The fact that Hadnot is talking to the Broncos is a clear signal, at least to me, that Denver is clearly looking at him as a starter.  And it's probably further proof of Seth Olsen's likely emergence.