Which 5 Cleveland Browns would be protected in an expansion draft
By Randy Gurzi
![Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) chats with teammates during an NFL football practice at the team's training facility, Tuesday, June 15, 2021, in Berea, Ohio. [Jeff Lange / Akron Beacon Journal]Browns 11](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fhttps-3A-2F-2Fdawgpounddaily-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fimagn-images-2F2018-2F08-2F16263263-850x560-a4d1c14fad70530f86ab049591bc4c17ee125b046b0c91c44bbcb4347a715631.jpg "Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) chats with teammates during an NFL football practice at the team's training facility, Tuesday, June 15, 2021, in Berea, Ohio. [Jeff Lange / Akron Beacon Journal]Browns 11")
3. Denzel Ward
Back to the 2018 NFL Draft, we have the fourth overall pick in that class, Denzel Ward. A star cornerback from Ohio State, Ward entered the league and immediately proved he belonged. In his debut game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he went head-to-head with Antonio Brown and had two interceptions helping his team tie with Pittsburgh (and this was Antonio Brown before he froze his own feet and began to self-destruct).
Since then, he’s done nothing but grow as a player, serving as the No. 1 corner for three seasons in a row now. If there is a knock on Ward, it has to be his health.
As a rookie, he missed three games but still did enough to make the Pro Bowl. Over each of the past two seasons, he’s missed four games meaning he now has sat out 11 contests but if anything, this has highlighted how good he really is.
Whenever Ward is out of the lineup, the secondary is a complete mess. Cleveland hopes to have fixed that in 2021 with the addition of rookie Greg Newsome II and free-agent addition Troy Hill. There’s also Greedy Williams who missed 2020 with a shoulder injury but none of those players has the overall talent that Ward does.