3 Cleveland Browns playing for an extension in 2021

No.2: Denzel Ward

While I just covered why I believe Denzel Ward should not be extended by the Browns just yet fairly recently, it is definitely worth noting again.

When it comes to Ward and the Browns, I strongly believe that the best bet is to wait and hold off until next season to extend him, if the Browns decide to go that route. Why? Simply because he has been hurt early and often in his career.

I don’t think that Ward needs to have a “prove-it year” when it comes to his performance on the field, because I think we can all clearly see that he is a baller. I do think, however, that Ward needs to prove that he can stay healthy for a full 16-game season before they decide to extend him because it would be miserable if the Browns paid him top cornerback money only to miss a quarter of the season year in and year out.

Yes, Ward is very, very good. But, what good are you if you are on the sideline? Another full offseason for Ward that consists of training and bulking will do him a solid and hopefully get him over the hump in terms of getting his body right because the Browns need him to be available every Sunday and need him in their long term plans.

No. 1: Ronnie Harrison

When it comes to the Browns defense last season, there was never really much to talk about. While obviously, it wasn’t all bad, there was still a lot more bad than good. In terms of bright spots, I believe safety Ronnie Harrison was one of the few shining stars that defense had.

Harrison had a very strong overall grade this past season, and I think a lot of people did not really see it coming. When Grant Delpit went down in camp with the Achilles injury, the Browns knew that they were going to need a lot of help in the secondary, which is why they went out and got Harrison from Jacksonville.

The young defensive back had one interception this past season, and it was one that resulted in a huge pick-6 against the Colts in what was a nice win for the Browns. Harrison had his best overall grade in pass coverage this year, something you may think is a given but is far from it considering how the defense played this season.

Harrison did also miss some time this year due to injury, so it would be nice to see a full season out of him in 2021-22. The Browns are without a doubt going to get help in the secondary this offseason through both signings and the draft.

If Harrison can improve off of last season and be a solid guy patrolling center field alongside potentially Delpit, he could absolutely be due for an extension after next year.