The Cleveland Browns clearly do not have a path to success this year, but that doesn't mean there aren't good parts of the roster. This team does have bits and pieces of being competent, and it's not a stretch to say that this team is a legitimate quarterback away from being competitive again.
Sure, that's much easier said than done, but it also does speak to the talent that this roster has in certain positions. General Manager Andrew Berry has largely done a nice job at acquiring talent, and if the quarterback situation can get figured out, the Browns are going to be set sooner than you think.
One of the team's best and most consistent players is cornerback Denzel Ward, who has spent his entire career with the team, and now, as of Tuesday, has become the highest-paid at his position.
Cleveland Browns extend Denzel Ward and make him the highest-paid DB in NFL history
The news broke on Tuesday afternoon, as Ward now becomes the highest-paid defensive back in the history of the NFL for the second time in his successful NFL career, as Ian Rapoport notes:
A new deal for Denzel: Pro Bowl CB Denzel Ward and the #Browns have agreed to a 2-year, $62.2M extension that makes him the highest paid DB in NFL history for the second time in his career.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 28, 2026
The deal, negotiated by Tory Dandy of @AthletesFirst, includes $52.3M guaranteed. pic.twitter.com/3fpoAMRDot
Ward was drafted with the fourth overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. He's made five Pro Bowls in his eight years in the league, which includes three Pro Bowls in a row from 2023-2025. In 2025, Ward had nine passes defended and 39 total tackles in 15 games.
Oddly enough, Ward has never played a full regular season in his career and has only played at least 16 games one time, but he's still been highly productive. Before this latest deal, the previous one he was on was a five-year deal worth $100,500,000, which was worth $20.1 million per year. At the time, that was the top contract for cornerbacks, and it wasn't that long ago that he signed in.
It just goes to show you how rapidly the market is rising, and while Ward is approaching 30 years old, he's still able to cash in approaching year nine. According to Pro Football Reference's data, Ward has allowed a 75.3 passer rating across his career, which has now spanned 110 regular season games. His remarkable coverage ability is still present years later, and every top NFL defense absolutely needs to have a cornerback like Ward who can blanket one-half of the field.
With this new deal coming in, here is what the top of the cornerback contract market now looks like:
1. Denzel Ward - $31.1 million per year
2. Trent McDuffie - $30.1 million pery ear
3. Derek Stingley Jr. - $30 million per year
4. Jaycee Horn - $25 million per year
5. Jalen Ramsey - $24.1 million per year
6. Patrick Surtain II - $24 million per year
Ward just barely becoming the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history this time around is actually very similar to how his contract looked the first time this happened. This was a well-deserved move, keeping the team's most consistent player in town for a bit longer.
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