Amid trade rumors following Myles Garrett's departure, Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward reaffirms his loyalty to Cleveland Browns.
With Myles Garrett no longer a member of the Cleveland Browns, speculation has swirled about the future of other veteran members of the franchise.
Those conversations have largely centered around cornerback Denzel Ward, who is about to enter is ninth season with the Browns.
Despite the chatter outside the organization about his future, Ward expressed an unwavering commitment to the franchise, while speaking at his celebrity softball game this weekend.
"I definitely still wanna be here," Ward told a group of reporters at the event. "Myles is a good friend of mine, a great teammate, but things aren't lost. It's Ohio against the world. People can doubt us but we're going out there still trying to play our best ball and bring wins to this city."
Ward also did make it clear that regardless of his intentions to stay, the Garrett trade does reiterate that anyone can get traded at any moment. He has no control over that, but made it clear he wants to stay.
He also seems to believe the Browns can be a competitive team sooner rather than later. One major reason for that continued confidence may have to do with the fact that Cleveland got an immediate replacement for Garrett in the team's blockbuster trade that sent the two-time Defensive Player of the Year to LA.
The Rams reluctantly added 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Jared Verse to their return package, along with three future picks. Verse is a rising star in the NFL, and should help keep the Browns' pass rush plenty formidable in the immediate and longer-term future.
Ward mentioned that he already reached out to Verse in the aftermath of the trade to welcome him to Cleveland. They'll hit the field for the first time together this coming week at mandatory minicamp.
As things stand right now, the organization has no plans to move Ward, who has long been a cornerstone on the back end of the defense. In his eight seasons, Ward has been named to 5 Pro Bowls, including three straight since 2023.
The Garrett trade isn't considered the start of a "fire sale" on that side of the ball, which has been considered a strength of the franchise in recent years.
Ward is a big reason why, and for now he still factors into their plans. As the 2018, No. 4 overall pick noted though, things are always subject to change in this league.
He enters 2026 as the longest tenured member of the team, followed by 2020 second-round pick, and a fellow member of the secondary, Grant Delpit. After that, embattled QB Deshaun Watson is the third longest tenured Browns' veteran.
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