As another lost season winded to a close, Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward was determined to see it through.
The now five-time Pro Bowler has yet to play a full 17-game season since being drafted by the Browns with the fourth overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. The league didn’t switch to its 18-week format until 2021, but Ward never cleared 13 games played over his first three years in the league.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to end the streak in 2025 due to a calf issue that forced him to miss two games, and the question marks surrounding his upcoming 2026 season have been impossible to ignore.
Ward's status as one of the game’s best cover corners is undeniable, but with a new regime in Berea, and Ward’s contract requiring the second-largest salary cap hit on the team (behind only Deshaun Watson), there’s been some speculation this offseason about whether he could be traded entering his age-29 season.
Denzel Ward could become a surprise cap casualty in 2026
Over the Cap named Ward among its top potential salary cap casualties for the Browns, and Bleacher Report echoed that thought in a recent writeup on each team’s top trade candidates.
“The way they do business doesn't afford them a lot of trade candidates that would actually clear space. Denzel Ward is the most notable. A pre-June 1 trade would create $3.2 million in savings,” B/R’s Alex Ballentine wrote.
“It's not a lot of money, but he's still a name to keep an eye on. He's never played a full season and he's going to be 29 next season. He's been good enough to still warrant a pick, so this could be their best chance to get a return for him.”
It’s not uncommon for a new head coach to come in and shake things up, but it’s hard to see GM Andrew Berry moving on from one of the cornerstone players on his roster. He’ll most likely execute a contract conversion on Ward’s deal to create $13.5 million in 2026 cap space and keep him on the roster opposite Tyson Campbell.
Aside from Watson, the Browns’ two highest-paid players are on defense in Ward and Myles Garrett. This 2026 offseason could act as a pivot point where the team’s spending starts to shift more towards the offense, which new head coach Todd Monken was hired to build.
Ward’s skillset is hard to find in the NFL, but with looming cap hits of $32.8 million in 2026 and $29.4 million in 2027, the Browns will be addressing his contract in some fashion, either via a restructure, extension, or trade.
The latter option doesn’t feel imminent, but with changes coming at defensive coordinator and a new sheriff in town, nothing can be ruled out. Ward’s age, contract situation, and injury history could make him a casualty as the Browns looked to reallocate funds to the offensive line and skill position groups.