Even as the Browns traded longtime star defensive end Myles Garrett to the Rams, cornerback Denzel Ward said he still wants to stay in Cleveland. Ward’s comments came at his inaugural celebrity softball game on June 6, and Browns general manager Andrew Berry l
When the Browns traded Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams in a blockbuster offseason deal, the shock wasn’t limited to the roster. It hit the locker room, and it reached Denzel Ward at the center of Cleveland’s defensive identity.
Ward, who has been teammates with Garrett since arriving in Cleveland as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, made his position clear at his inaugural celebrity softball game on June 6.
“I definitely still want to be here. ” Ward said. affirming his commitment to the Browns when asked about his future. adding. “Myles is a good friend of mine. a great teammate. but things aren’t lost. It’s Ohio against the world. So people could doubt us. but we’re going out there still trying to play our best ball and bring wins to the city.”.
After Garrett’s departure, Ward becomes the Browns’ longest-tenured defensive player. At 29 years old, he said he looks forward to operating in that role and described a confidence that hasn’t been shaken by the trade.
“I could get traded, but I don’t really look too much into that stuff,” Ward said. “It’s the nature of the game. Say I do get traded – I feel, for me, like wherever I’m at that’s where I’m supposed to be. So if I’m here, I’m supposed to be here. If I go to a different team, that’s where I’m supposed to be. But I love playing for the Cleveland Browns. I want to be here. I’m grateful – wherever I’m at, whatever opportunity I get to go play football, that’s what I do.”.
That mix—real friendship with a departing teammate. plus a refusal to let the moment decide his future—is landing at a time when the Browns are trying to move forward quickly. Ward’s tenure with Garrett spans eight seasons together, and the pair helped drive a strong 2025 season. Cleveland ranked fourth in defensive EPA allowed per play, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.
The Browns’ front office has tried to steady the same storyline from the other side. At a June 2 news conference, general manager Andrew Berry said Ward has no reason to fear being moved.
“Denzel’s been great throughout the offseason. His communication’s been good. a big part of the team, and we like him a lot,” Berry said. “He’s still playing at a really high level. That doesn’t change with this transaction.”
If Ward’s statements sound like confidence, Berry’s remarks offered something more concrete: the idea that the transaction involving Garrett does not automatically open the door to reshaping the secondary.
For Ward, the contract math also points to stability. It’s likely he’ll remain in Cleveland at least for the two years remaining on the five-year, $100.5 million extension he inked with the Browns in 2022. The deal runs through the 2027 NFL season.
Ward’s contract details include a five-year term, total contract value of $100.5 million, average annual value of $20.1 million, and guaranteed money of $71.25 million.
Spotrac.com projected that Ward is set to make $20 million in cash during the 2026 NFL season with a $16.9 million base salary and a $30.9 million cap hit. His cap hit is expected to drop slightly in 2027, when he will carry a cap hit of just under $30 million.
Ward is set to be a free agent in 2028, but the contract includes three void years. That structure helps defray present-year cap hits while still forcing the Browns to take on a cap hit of just over $9.2 million in 2028 even if Ward doesn’t re-sign.
Ward’s role inside the defense has also been more than symbolic. He has been a Pro Bowler in five of his eight NFL seasons, including each of the last three campaigns.
Across eight seasons, Ward’s career numbers to date include: 110 games, 361 tackles, 13 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 18 interceptions, 104 pass defenses, four forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, and four defensive touchdowns.
He enters this moment coming off a season in which he recorded 39 tackles, one interception, and nine pass defenses while allowing a 89.7 passer rating. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 67th-best cornerback out of 112 qualifiers.
The sequencing matters. The Browns traded away Garrett, but Ward’s position—both what he publicly wants and what the team’s general manager suggested—suggests Cleveland’s defensive plans are shifting at the edges rather than tearing down the foundation.
With Ward set to play out his existing extension. and with Berry indicating he remains a “big part of the team” whose high-level performance hasn’t changed. the immediate question for fans isn’t whether Ward is staying in Cleveland. It’s how the Browns keep building momentum without the star pass rusher they just moved to Los Angeles—and whether Ohio’s defense can still deliver wins under the banner Ward says they’ll keep carrying.
Denzel Ward Myles Garrett trade Cleveland Browns Los Angeles Rams NFL offseason Andrew Berry celebrity softball game NFL contracts Spotrac Pro Football Focus defensive EPA allowed
Denzel Ward really said “Ohio against the world” like that fixes the defense lol.
I mean players always say they wanna stay… until the next trade deadline. Browns better keep him or the whole team morale is gonna be cooked.
Wait so Myles got traded to the Rams and Denzel is still acting like nothing happened? That’s wild. Also does Ward even know he’s next if Cleveland keeps losing? People keep saying it’s “the nature of the game” but like come on.
This is kinda confusing to me because I thought once the star left then everyone else would request a trade too. Ward saying he doesn’t look into it sounds like PR talk. Also celebrity softball??? like why is that the moment they’re talking about football futures.