Denzel Ward's Leadership Needed in Thin Browns Secondary

Ward certainly has the talent but, due to recent injuries, will need to lead younger teammates.

Every offseason, Cleveland Browns fans find a reason to be excited only to be let down again (and again, and again). This seems like a good year to finally believe in the excitement, but injuries have already put a semi-damper on this preseason.

Last Monday, the Browns lost rookie safety Grant Delpit to a ruptured achilles. They were already without Greedy Williams, M.J. Stewart Jr., Kevin Johnson and Terrance Mitchell.

Denzel Ward is clearly one of the better cornerbacks in the National Football League (NFL) but, with these injuries piling up, expectations for the third-year pro and former Buckeye will be even greater. The Browns drafted him to become an unquestioned leader and, well, that time has come.

The No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 draft, Ward has been alongside veterans T.J. Carrie and Terrance Mitchell throughout recent memory. With Carrie now in Indianapolis and Mitchell missing time, many will anticipate Ward taking the next step and evolving into a true vocal leader.

We already know Ward has the physical chops to be one of the best corners in the league. He made the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Last year, a hamstring injury hurt his chances at making the Pro Bowl again but Ward actually performed even better in pass coverage.

Ward allowed the fifth-lowest completion percentage among qualifying cornerbacks in 2019. Per NFL Inside Edge, just 36 of the 73 (49.3%) passes thrown Ward’s way were completed.

He also finished fifth in the league as a rookie, but allowed just over 50 percent of passes thrown his way to be caught (47 of 97). He was the only player at his position to finish in the top five in each of the last two seasons.

The Browns tried to get Ward some help on Thursday when they traded a 2021 fifth round pick to Jacksonville for safety Ronnie Harrison, a third-year-pro and two-time College Football Playoff national champion at Alabama.

There is no doubt Ward has the talent, but now it's time to see the leadership. It may be "next man up" in the Cleveland secondary behind Ward, but we all know the buck stops with No. 21 in brown and orange.

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