The Cleveland Browns’ surprising start to the season certainly means a lot to the fan base, the city and the team. But it probably means more to players who have been around for a while and have been through a lot of ups and downs where the bad outweighs the good.
There were times this summer when veteran cornerback Denzel Ward would have enjoyed it. Trade rumors were mounting about him, and because of his age, he didn’t fit Cleveland’s projected timeline for success.
Instead, Ward was given a two-year contract extension that paid off in a big way for both him and the Browns. The 29-year-old is playing the best football of his career through the first four games of the season, which included a key interception in Cleveland’s 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night.
Additionally, host Kay Adams is turning heads with his take on Ward, saying the five-time Pro Bowl selection should be included when talking about the best cornerbacks in the league right now.
“The player I’m most excited about on the Browns is Denzel Ward. He’s an All-Pro. I’m really happy for him. That’s my opinion. He’s great. I think he’d get a lot more love if he wasn’t on the Browns. Like Joe Thomas’ love on the Browns, he’s good and meaningful for the Browns. I don’t know the math on Denzel Ward, but he deserves to be the best cornerback in the league conversation.” [Patrick Surtain] and [Christian Gonzalez]. We do not grow it anywhere [Derek] Stingley all conversations. But shouldn’t he be?” Adams said.
Denzel Ward is this generation’s Joe Thomas for the Browns.
He SHOULD be in the Top-Cornerback discussion 😤@denzelward | @Browns | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/aiwyK3wC0W
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) October 2,
According to Pro Football Focus, Ward earned an 89.5 overall grade and a 90.4 pass coverage grade this season, which ranks second among 97 qualified cornerbacks. He allowed a 75.1 passer rating when targeted.
Thursday’s second-quarter interception of Aaron Rodgers completely changed the momentum of this game. It also extended Ward’s streak of having at least one interception in every year of his nine-year NFL career.
Cleveland had allowed a 17-play, 78-yard touchdown drive on Pittsburgh’s opening drive, and the Steelers moved the ball again before Ward stepped up. From there, the Browns scored 21 unanswered points.
Ward was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Browns after playing at Ohio State, and he’s been widely praised for his commitment to the organization, so it’s nice to see him contributing to some good times for the team so far this season.
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Analyst Believes Browns Got Stolen in NFL Draft