It's been nearly a month since the Cleveland Browns shook the National Football League to its very core. Trading Myles Garrett seemed impossible, but general manager Andrew Berry managed to get strong value for his star.
Unsurprisingly, it didn't take long before people speculated about a potential panic sale. Not many teams move on from their best player and stop at that, so Denzel Ward's future seemed to be up in the air.
Ward doubled down on his commitment to the Browns after the Garrett trade, but his contract situation might still be a bit of a concern. Fortunately, ESPN insider Daniel Oyefusi revealed that a new deal might still be on the table:
"Ward has two years remaining on a five-year extension he signed in 2022 but no more guaranteed salary," wrote Oyefusi. "Ward didn't participate in mandatory minicamp — coach Todd Monken said he won't comment on the nature of the cornerback's absence — but a new deal that offers additional guarantees could be on the horizon."
A new contract for Denzel Ward still makes plenty of sense
Denzel Ward has a case for being the most underrated player in the National Football League. He's an elite cornerback, but rarely gets the recognition he deserves, perhaps because he plays for a small-market team.
Even if not many cornerbacks are still elite in their 30s, there's no reason to believe Ward won't be as impactful on a new contract with more guaranteed money. He's the best in the business when it comes to breaking up passes, and he's recorded at least two interceptions in all but one of his seasons in the league.
Trading veterans just for the sake of it isn't smart asset management, especially if they won't get equal value in return. Of course, finances matter, but the Browns are full of first- and second-year players on bargain deals, and with Deshaun Watson's fully-guaranteed contract finally off their books soon, they shouldn't need to move on from Ward to keep their finances in order.
The Browns could trade Ward if he felt it was for the best. Some players outgrow their teams, and with the Browns shifting toward a younger generation, they might want to do right by him and let him play for a contending team while he's still in his physical prime.
But if no one is rushing to give up a second-round pick, and he says he doesn't want to leave, a trade shouldn't even be on the table. The Browns may have moved on from Myles Garrett, but that doesn't necessarily mean they will just tank their way through the season.
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