Denzel Ward celebrated becoming the NFL’s highest-paid defensive back but acknowledged that his record-setting extension does not guarantee that a trade is off the table.
Ward agreed to a two-year, $62.2 million extension that includes $52.3 million guaranteed. The deal carries an average annual value of $31.1 million and keeps him under contract through the 2029 season. The extension makes a trade highly unlikely, but it does not necessarily make one impossible, per Ward.
“I want to be here but I can still be traded,” Ward said.
Ward had been floated as a potential trade chip after the Browns sent Myles Garrett to the Rams in a blockbuster offseason deal. General manager Andrew Berry pushed back against that speculation, and Ward consistently expressed his desire to remain in Cleveland.
Ward did not say whether the contract includes a no-trade clause. Such a provision would give him significant control over his destination if the Browns eventually decided to move him.
However, Cleveland just made a substantial financial commitment to Ward. The five-time Pro Bowler had two years remaining on the five-year, $100.5 million extension he signed in 2022, but no guaranteed money remained on that deal.
His new extension provides additional security and makes him the league’s highest-paid defensive back for the second time in his career. Ward’s $31.1 million annual salary narrowly surpasses the $31 million average of Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie.
Denzel Ward Remains All In With Browns
Ward made it clear that Garrett’s exit did not change his commitment to the Browns.
“Myles is a great friend of mine and a great player. I loved him when he was on the team — but he’s not on the team now,” Ward said. “I’m all in for Cleveland. I’m a Cleveland kid through and through. It’s where I’m at and where I want to be. This is where I’m going to play hard and fight to get wins. Whoever is here, that’s who we are going to fight with.”
Ward grew up in Ohio, starred at Ohio State and was selected by the Browns with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. He has recorded 18 interceptions and 104 passes defended over eight seasons.
The Browns acquired Jared Verse and three future draft picks in the Garrett trade. While the deal signaled a significant transition for the franchise, Ward does not believe Cleveland’s front office has abandoned the goal of winning now.
“It shows we’re competing to win,” Ward said. “I see a lot of people talking about we’re trying to rebuild and tank or something like that. I think it shows we’re trying to rebuild, bringing in a great player like Jared Verse. He’s a talented player.
“Myles Garrett is Myles Garrett — he’ll be who he is. But we are still a talented team with talented players. We just have to go show that and play together. No one player wins the game.”
Browns Lock Up Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit
Ward was not the only veteran member of the secondary to receive a new deal as training camp opened. The Browns also signed safety Grant Delpit to a three-year, $48 million extension that includes $35 million guaranteed. Delpit had been entering the final year of his previous contract and did not participate in Cleveland’s offseason workouts while seeking a new agreement.
The two extensions give the Browns stability in a defense undergoing significant changes. Garrett is gone, Mike Rutenberg has replaced Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator, and younger players — such as Verse — will be asked to take on prominent roles.
But Cleveland is not starting over completely. Ward and Delpit are proven veterans who can provide leadership for a young unit adjusting to life without one of the NFL’s most dominant pass rushers. Their new contracts represent a combined investment of more than $110 million and keep two foundational pieces of the secondary under team control through 2029.
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