BEREA — Denzel Ward has often talked about the combination of he and Myles Garrett in terms of some of the most famous duos around. The Browns’ Pro Bowl cornerback said after the 2024 season that “me and Myles like Shaq and Kobe.”
Well, much like what happened to break up Shaq and Kobe, a trade has broken up Ward and Garrett. The Browns shipped the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for 25-year-old defensive end Jared Verse and three draft picks.
Ward’s reaction to his teammate’s departure hasn’t been made public. When asked about his star cornerback and his reaction, general manager Andrew Berry gave no indication of what it was, but also made clear that this trade doesn’t mean that the other half of the duo is on his way out.
Subscribe to Browns Insider newsletter
“So I’d say No. 1, I think it’s probably most appropriate for Denzel to speak for himself,” Berry said June 2. “No. 2, Denzel’s been great throughout the offseason. His communication’s been good. He’s a big part of the team and we like him a lot. He’s still playing at a really high level. That doesn’t change with this transaction.”
Like Garrett, Ward had been absent throughout the Browns’ voluntary offseason program under new head coach Todd Monken. Unlike Garrett, though, it ran counter to what had been Ward’s typical routine in the offseason.
Ward, speaking to the Beacon Journal and three other outlets at his youth camp May 27, said the reason for his absence was in part because of a lot of traveling he’s doing with his girlfriend. However, he said he had been in regular contact with the coaching staff, and denied any nefarious reasons for not being present.
“You don’t have to read into it,” Ward said at his youth camp. “It’s up to people if they want to read into it, but no, I’ve just been working my craft, working out and getting ready. I’ve still been checking them out though, so I’ve been in the iPad seeing what those new guys have been looking like. So I got something for them when I get there though.”
Ward is under contract through the 2027 season, with a cap number near $31 million this season and $30 million in 2027. He just turned 29 in April.
Buy Cleveland Browns tickets
Considering the fact the Browns appear to be in a transition from the group of players that came in around 2017-18 such as Garrett and Ward being the core to the 2025-26 draft classes being that, it would make sense to look at see what a market for a top-level cornerback could be right now. Berry, though, pushed back on the Browns going through a fire sale in order to tank for a better draft pick.
“I guess I’d say two things,” Berry said. “I’d say No. 1, all of our goals are still in front of us. We have an excellent defense with really good players and on all three levels and Jared, he’s an outstanding player. He’s one of the best players in the league and so we’re excited to have him as a part of our team. To the second part of your question, I guess I’d maybe clarify your line of question in the sense that like Myles wasn’t on the trading block. We weren’t auctioning him off. This is not something that was a primary consideration over the spring.”
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ. Sign up for Browns Insider newsletter at https://profile.beaconjournal.com/newsletters/browns-insider/
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Andrew Berry said Browns not interested in trading Denzel Ward
Reporting by Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
