Cleveland Browns mandatory minicamp, June 11, 2025
Browns cornerback Denzel Ward left Tuesday's practice with what appeared to be a right shoulder injury.Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
BEREA, Ohio — Browns cornerback Denzel Ward left practice with an apparent injury to his shoulder or right arm on Tuesday. The injury comes amidst a stellar training camp and less than a week after two strong days in joint practices against the Eagles had at least one teammate buzzing.
Ward and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy were both tracking a ball during one-on-one drills near the beginning of practice on Tuesday. Ward broke the pass up and landed awkwardly on his right arm. He knelt next to the pylon momentarily before standing up and walking to the sideline.
A member of the training staff spoke with Ward and he even tried to return to the field, but eventually went back to the sideline and walked inside with a member of the training staff.
The Browns did not provide an update on Ward’s injury Tuesday and likely won’t have one until Wednesday.
Ward, a four-time Pro Bowler, is coming off what he considered his best season as a pro and came into this season with aspirations of becoming the second cornerback in a row to bring home Defensive Player of the Year honors. He appeared in 16 games last season, missing the season finale in Baltimore with a shoulder injury.
Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr., who was carted off in that Baltimore game, was working outside for the first time this training camp during practice. He spent the session jogging and doing agility work with a trainer in the rehab area of the field.
Browns GM Andrew Berry watched a portion of the workout.
Hall, the No. 54 pick in the 2024 draft, is on the active/PUP list after he was carted off in Week 18 against Baltimore last season.
The Browns have not said specifically what Hall’s injury is, but he was wearing a brace on his right knee on Tuesday. They hope to pair him with this year’s No. 5 overall pick, Mason Graham, on the interior of their defensive line to create consistent pressure up the middle.
Hall played in just eight games last season. He served a five-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after pleading no contest to disorderly conduct in Avon Lake Municipal court. Hall was arrested during training camp last year when police were dispatched to a home in Avon that was shared by Hall, his fiancée and the fiancée’s mother to investigate an allegation of domestic violence against Hall.
He also missed four games due to a knee injury.
Hall had 14 tackles, one sack and six quarterback hits.
The importance of Ward
About the only thing Ward didn’t do well last season was catch the ball. His teammates spent plenty of time ribbing him about all the dropped interceptions he had after he finally caught his first in Week 11.
Ward led the league with 19 passes defensed.
“The biggest thing is he needs to finish those PBUs with INTs,” defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said earlier this camp. “He was so, so productive in getting PBUs last year, but left a lot of meat on the bone. And a third down stop that’s a PBU becomes a game changing play when it’s an INT.”
The Browns are relying heavily on Ward, especially with cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. out for the season with a ruptured Achilles suffered during a camp practice.
Greg Newsome II, who has been dealing with a shoulder injury of his own, is expected to take over Emerson’s role on the outside. Newsome is playing on his fifth-year option and is a free agent after this season.
The Browns also have third-year cornerback Cameron Mitchell and second-year cornerback Myles Harden competing for opportunities. Veteran cornerback and special teams ace Tony Brown II is a virtual lock to make the roster. Undrafted free agent Dom Jones has made a strong case.
Ward is the lynchpin of the entire cornerback room and no one in the Browns secondary has been hesitant to praise his abilities this summer.
“Denzel really doesn’t get enough notoriety,” safety Grant Delpit said last week. “When you bring up Top 5 corners, the Top 3 corners of the league, Denzel is Top 2. So if you just put the tape on, you can see this day in and day out. And I know that for a fact, because not a lot of people could play like Ward.”
“His name is Denzel Ward and nobody else’s is,” Newsome said earlier this summer. “There’s no secret. He’s the best cornerback in the league, so we expect him to do that. Like I say, he doesn’t have a weakness. There’s really no secret sauce. It’s just his name’s Denzel Ward and nobody else’s is.”
Everyone will spend Tuesday night holding their breath on news about Ward’s shoulder.
Hall’s return
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) unloads a pass
Browns defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. was injured in a Week 18 loss to Baltimore last season.Josh Gunter, cleveland.com
When Hall actually returns to the field is murky. The Browns can keep him on PUP when they cut their roster to 53 and he would have to miss at least the first four games of the season.
Even though they’re counting on Hall long-term, they can function on the interior without him in the near future.
Graham has arguably been the best draft pick in training camp so far. The Browns signed veteran Maliek Collins this offseason and he’s slated to start next to Graham. They also have veteran Shelby Harris, Sam Kamara, a hybrid edge and interior lineman and Jowon Briggs, a 2024 seventh-round who made it onto the Freaks List put out by The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman every year.
There’s no rush to get Hall back on the field too soon and, considering the Browns season opener comes almost eight months to the day after he was carted off, it might be a tad optimistic to assume he would be ready to go against the Bengals.
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