Cleveland Browns: Denzel Ward wins NFL Rookie of the Week (again)

Through five games, No. 4 pick Denzel Ward has been nothing less than absolutely stellar. In week five, he took home his second Rookie of the Week award of the young season.

Another Cleveland Browns rookie has won the NFL Pepsi Rookie of the Week award, as cornerback Denzel Ward won the award following his Week 5 performance against the Baltimore Ravens.

A Browns rookie has won the award in four of the first five weeks of the season. This is the second time that Ward has won the award, as he won the award following Week 1. Baker Mayfield won the award following Week 3, and Nick Chubb won the award after Week 4.

The Cleveland Browns selection of Ward in the 2018 NFL Draft turned some heads on draft night, but John “Buddy Boy” Dorsey seems to have really nailed this one.

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Instead of trying for an embarrassment of riches on the defensive line with Bradley Chubb, Cleveland chose to roll the dice on the somewhat-undersized, but lightning-quick shutdown cornerback in Ward. This pick has already paid major dividends, as Ward has won two Rookie of the Week awards through five games.

Already, Ward has amassed three interceptions in his first five games. By picking off Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger twice in Week one, and Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco in Week Five, Ward has made his presence known throughout the AFC North.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton is the last target on Ward’s divisional hit list, and he’ll get his chance in Week 12 and Week 16. But it’s looking more and more likely that he won’t stop there.

Ward has become an integral part of one of the league’s premier defenses. The Browns currently lead the league in takeaways with 15, eclipsing their season total of 13 from last year.

Ward has been a massive part of that, finally shutting down receivers and letting Myles Garrett and company get to various quarterbacks. A big congratulations to Ward, as he enjoys the second of (hopefully) many honors.