The Cleveland Browns are very lucky they have Denzel Ward.
NFL scouts for Bleacher Report believe Cleveland Browns star Denzel Ward is the fifth-best cornerback in the league.
Ward is one spot ahead of Devon Witherspoon of the Seattle Seahawks and one spot behind Christian Gonzalez of the New England Patriots.
"After the Myles Garrett trade, Denzel Ward is the best player wearing a Cleveland Browns uniform," Bleacher Report wrote. "His technique, smooth transitions, and jack-of-all-trades ability stand tall, even as he enters his ninth NFL season. Ward allowed the second-fewest receiving yards of his career in 2025 and was one of the toughest outs for wide receivers every week because of his physical mindset. He's showing no signs of slowing down."
Last season, Ward made his fifth Pro Bowl. He finished with one interception, nine passes defended, 29 solo tackles and two tackles for loss.
Ward enters next season with 18 career interceptions. The Browns signed him to a two-year, $62.2 million deal at the end of July. The $31.1 million annual average value makes Ward the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history for the second time in his career.
Ward, 29, had two years but no guaranteed salary remaining on the five-year, $100 million extension he signed in April 2022.
"Just forever grateful to the Browns organization, AB (Andrew Berry), the Haslams, JW (Johnson), everybody, they believed in me coming out of college at Ohio State. And they still believe in me," Ward said. "They signed my two biggest deals in NFL history, making me the highest paid (defensive back). And just forever grateful. I just love this city. I'm from here and just to be able to continue to play for the city that drafted me and that I'm from has been amazing and I'm looking forward to keeping it going."
Ward's 104 career passes defensed are the most by any player in the NFL since 2018 and he is one of just five active players with at least 100 career passes defensed.
Ward is also first in career passes defended by a Brown. He has started 107 of 110 games over his NFL career and earned five Pro Bowl selections, including three consecutive selections since 2023.
"I've come a long way. I never really expected all of this to come about it," Ward said. "I've always just been a kid that just loved going out there playing football, and all the accolades and money and everything just kind of came with it. So, I think that's what's been good about it because I'm having fun playing the game and that's all I really care about is the fun in it. And you know I'm appreciative of the money and everything that comes along with it, but just to be able to play the game that I dreamed of as a kid, that's my favorite part."
The Browns open the 2026 season against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Let's see how Ward plays in his first game after getting paid again.
