Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward has been involved in trade rumors.
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Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward has been involved in trade rumors.
The Cleveland Browns addressed trade speculation surrounding cornerback Denzel Ward on Saturday.
The Browns’ comments came amid a wave of chatter connecting Ward to potential suitors. Some trade scenarios have been floated involving the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears.
Ward, 28, is entering the fourth season of a five-year, $100.5 million extension and is under contract through 2027. The Browns did restructure his deal earlier this offseason — converting $2.5 million of his roster bonus into signing bonus money. The team stopped well short of the full restructure that would have essentially locked him in for the year.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry essentially shut down the trade talks while addressing reporters at the NFL owners meeting on Sunday.
“We’ll always do what’s best for the organization, but we’re generally in the business of keeping the elite players as opposed to trading them,” Berry said.
Berry also shut down trade talks around superstar pass-rusher Myles Garrett.
“Myles is a career Brown,” Berry said. “He is one of the faces of our organization. I think we’ve been very clear both past and present in terms of our goals.”
Browns CB Denzel Ward Called ‘Overpaid’
Bleacher Report recently labeled Ward an “obvious” inclusion in its breakdown of each NFL team’s most overpaid player, pointing to his $30.9 million cap hit for 2026 as “ridiculous.”
While Deshaun Watson — and his fully guaranteed $230 million deal — was the primary selection for the Browns, Ward still drew notable criticism.
“The 12th-highest-paid player in football has thrown 19 touchdown passes since the end of the 2020 season. Enough said. Since this is such an obvious pick, we’ll also mention declining cornerback Denzel Ward and his ridiculous $30.9 million 2026 cap hit,” Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon said.
There’s also the health concern. Ward has been diagnosed with multiple concussions over the course of his NFL career, a concern moving forward.
That said, Ward is still an elite, shut-down cornerback. He appeared in 15 games last season, recording 39 tackles, one interception and nine pass breakups. Ward was named to his fifth Pro Bowl.
Martin Emerson Jr. Unlikely to Return to Browns
Another hurdle for the Browns in trading Ward is that they don’t have someone who could slide in and hold down his starting spot. That once could have been Martin Emerson Jr. However, Emerson is a free agent and is coming off a torn Achilles.
“Selfishly would love to have him back. I think we’re also realistic that with MJ and the injury that he’s coming off of, to reach his personal goals, he’s also got to be in a position where he has maybe a strong opportunity to compete for a starting spot,” Berry said. “That’s probably a little bit harder with how we’re configured with Denzel and Tyson. But certainly if that changes … we’d love to have him back.”
Emerson missed the entire 2025 campaign at the worst possible time. He remains unsigned and will likely have to sign a prove-it deal coming off the injury.
The 2022 third-round pick out of Mississippi State made 33 starts over his first three seasons in Cleveland, posting four interceptions and 34 passes defensed before the injury derailed his trajectory.