Denzel Ward Not Expected To Be Available Following Myles Garrett Trade

The Browns sent shockwaves through the NFL world on Monday with the Myles Garrett trade for Jared Verse, leading some to wonder whether other veterans on Cleveland’s roster could be on the move.

Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, he doesn’t sense the Browns are planning a fire sale. On CB Denzel Ward specifically, Fowler said he was told a “hard no” regarding the veteran corner’s availability.

Fowler also went into some specifics of the deal, saying this was a Rams’ specific deal because of Cleveland’s interest in Verse and their persistence on getting a deal done all offseason. He also said Garrett didn’t request a trade again like he did last offseason, but the team felt the value was too good to pass up.

Ward, 29, was the fourth-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. He played out the fourth year of a four-year, $29.165 million rookie deal he signed with the Browns in 2018 that included a $19.291 million signing bonus.

The Browns exercised Ward’s fifth-year option before signing him to an extension for five years worth $100.5 million. He was due base salaries of $16.9 million and $17.4 million in the final two years of that deal. 

In 2025, Ward appeared in 15 games for the Browns and recorded 39 total tackles, one interception, two tackles for loss, and nine pass defenses.