3 Surprise players Cleveland Browns should be willing to trade for the right quarterback

Cleveland Browns Player to Trade for Elite Quarterback No. 2 – Denzel Ward

In the second half of the 2021 season, Denzel Ward was likely the best player on the Cleveland Browns roster. Not only was he able to be a dominant lockdown corner, he finally seemed healthy and wasn’t constantly nagged by injury.

However, for a couple of reasons, I would not take Ward off the table for an elite quarterback. For one, Ward still can’t win you near the number of games as an elite quarterback. This is still a league where a great offense will be an elite defense because of the rules.

Second, Ward is going to be extremely expensive to re-sign. If I can get a $35 million (or even $40), and save myself $25 million with Ward, I do it in a heartbeat. There are a lot of young corners in the league that can be signed at a significantly lower price.

Ward’s value in a trade wouldn’t be great unless he commits to signing long-term. If he was going to a team that was willing to dump an elite quarterback, he may not be willing to play ball.

Again, I’m not saying that Ward doesn’t deserve a huge contract extension, or he isn’t an elite player. He is all those things, but if I can save a first-round pick in a trade for a quarterback, it’s still the smart thing to do.

An elite quarterback still brings me significantly more value, and I have a pick in my pocket to get another young, talented guy that can replace him.