For years, opposing fans speculated whether the Cleveland Browns would be able to keep Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward for the long haul. With Garrett now out in Los Angeles, it only makes sense that rumors continue to swirl around Ward's future.
The Pro Bowler has made it clear that he wants to stay in Cleveland. He still has two years left on his contract, and even entering his age-30 season, he's still one of the best cover corners in the game.
The Browns have every reason to keep Ward in Cleveland for the remainder of his contract. That said, that's not going to stop other organizations from trying to get him.
With that in mind, the Browns should probably send these three teams straight to voicemail.
These 3 teams should stop dreaming about a Denzel Ward trade
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With Jamel Dean no longer in town, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a big void in the secondary. Todd Bowles' team will roll into the 2026 season with a young unit, and Ward would provide much-needed experience next to Zyon McCollum, Benjamin Morrison, and Jacob Parrish, who just moved to the slot.
The NFC South might not be the most stacked division in the league, but all four teams will run pass-heavy offenses, and the Bucs have more questions than answers there. There aren't many avenues for improvement other than trading for a five-time Pro-Bowler.
Green Bay Packers
With defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley gone, the Green Bay Packers went through a bit of an overhaul in the secondary. They moved on from Nate Hobbs and signed Benjamin St-Juste to compete with Carrington Valentine. They also selected Brandon Cisse early on Day 2 of the 2026 draft.
Even if St-Juste or Cisse beats out Valentine for the job, Keisean Nixon could become a liability on the other side of the field. Cornerback is the Packers' most glaring need, and Ward might be their best chance of fixing it this season.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions were already thin at cornerback before the Terrion Arnold saga. Now that their former first-round pick is no longer with the team, what was a concern may have turned into an actual crisis for Dan Campbell's team.
As things stand now, the Lions are set to start an undersized Day 3 rookie, Keith Abney II, opposite the injury-prone D.J. Reed. That's a recipe for disaster for a team that should be desperate for some momentum after missing the playoffs last season.
Denzel Ward should retire a Cleveland Brown
All things considered, there's no real incentive to move on from Ward. He wants to be in Cleveland, which isn't all that common, and the city and the organization have embraced him since he arrived in Berea.
The Browns aren't likely to receive meaningful compensation to justify losing a proven veteran and vocal leader. So, unless he changes his mind and requests a trade, the Browns' response to all inquiries should be "thanks, but no thanks."
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