CLEVELAND, Ohio — Think you had a hard time watching the Browns loss to the Jets on Sunday?
You weren’t alone.
“I didn’t get no targets. So it was kind of boring for me,” cornerback Denzel Ward said. “No, I wouldn’t say it was boring, but I didn’t like that I didn’t get no targets though.”
According to data from Pro Football Focus, Ward was targeted once, resulting in a four-yard reception, but the point still stands. The ball isn’t coming Ward’s way very much lately. He has been targeted three or fewer times in four of the Browns’ nine games this season.
Ward is currently on pace this season for 64 targets in 17 games, which would be the second-fewest targets in a season during his career. He was targeted 59 times in 2022, when he played 14 games.
The eighth-year cornerback believes teams are avoiding him more this year.
“I think so. I don’t feel I’ve been getting as much targets and action as I’ve got in years past,” he said.
That’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s more of a compliment than anything, but it doesn’t mean Ward has to like it.
“That’s definitely much respect,” he said. “But yeah, I’m trying to get into some action. I like to be in on the game — and I’m still in on the game — but just get in and be able to try to affect the game as best way as I can and make some plays, make some game changing plays.”
Ward earned his fourth Pro Bowl last season — his second consecutive selection, leading the league with 19 passes defensed, intercepting two passes and forcing a fumble. He appeared in 16 games.
He has a new running mate now in Tyson Campbell. The Browns acquired Campbell from Jacksonville in October in exchange for cornerback Greg Newsome II, also sending a sixth-round pick to Jacksonville and receiving a seventh-round pick back.
This came after Martin Emerson Jr. was lost for the season when he ruptured his Achilles in training camp.
Campbell has been targeted 16 times since the trade, five more than Ward’s 11 in that span. Five of those 11 targets towards Ward came in the Browns’ loss to New England. He has been targeted just once in two of the last three games.
It’s left Ward wanting for more nine games into the season.
“Just trying to find a way to get some action and get into the plays as best as I can,” Ward said. “It seems like they’re kind of going away from me a little bit.”
The reality is there’s not much Ward can do to change it. He gets an assignment and he has to execute it.
“I’m just going out there and executing the game plan and taking the game as it comes and just playing my game,” he said.
Will the ball come his way more this week? Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson threw his way three times in Week 2, according to PFF. Jackson threw the ball his way three times in Week 8 last season.
Jackson’s ability to scramble and make plays downfield off of those scrambles is particularly challenging for any defense. It’s different from what the Browns just faced in Justin Fields, who only threw 11 passes and mostly looks to run when he starts scrambling.
“(Jackson)’s a playmaker out there. He’s able to extend plays,” Ward said. “So it’s already tough covering guys in this league, but when he’s able to extend the play longer than the average play, you just got to cover for that much longer. And so it’s kind of wait for guys to get open type of thing. But yeah, we still just got to finish and find a way to get the balls down or intercept it and make plays in that aspect.”
The other issue for a defense when facing Jackson is that he doesn’t turn the ball over often. He threw four interceptions last season and has thrown just one in his six games this season.
According to PFF, Jackson had the lowest percentage of turnover worthy plays by quarterbacks who had at least 20% of the league-high 725 dropbacks.
If Jackson does give Ward a rare chance or two this week, he’s anxious to take advantage of it.
“Looking for those every opportunity I get,” Ward said. “But yeah, it’s definitely just much respect though.”
It’s starting to get boring over there for the Browns’ top corner.
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