Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward is 29 years old. He has been with Cleveland since the 2018 NFL season. Ward has two seasons remaining on his contract. There are many people wondering if Ward is going to get traded in the future or not. Many are thinking this because the Browns traded away defensive end Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Verse and draft picks.
For now, Ward is going to be on the Browns roster for the 2026 NFL season. Now, there is a chance that he could potentially request a trade and ask out. He is a good enough cornerback to play for a contending team. There were talks on radio about if they are going to trade him or not in the future. It appears as if the Browns do not have plans to trade him anytime soon.
With that being said, things can no doubt change in a hurry. Mandatory minicamp was last week. Did Ward practice or not?
Browns cornerback Tyson Campbell, Denzel Ward and Dom Jones look at video with a coach on the first day of minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus of the Cleveland Browns in Berea, Ohio on June 9, 2026. Credit: Mike Cardew/Akron Beacon Journal
With mandatory minicamp last week, Daniel Oyefusi of espn.com covered what went on with the Browns defense. With Garrett not on the team anymore, things looked totally different. Oyefusi mentioned that one key defender did not practice and said , "Cornerback Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit were present for mandatory minicamp but did not practice. Monken would not clarify whether the absences were injury- or contract-related; neither player has any more guaranteed salary on their contracts."
If Ward is injured, that is one story to keep an eye on. If he is not injured, that will be another story to keep an eye on when training camp opens up next month. Does Ward decide to ask for a trade before the start of the 2026 NFL season? This could be the number one storyline for the Browns other than the quarterback competition.
Ward would no doubt have a big trade market if he were to ask out of Cleveland. Garrett made that decision last offseason, but the Browns rewarded him with a contract extension. Would Ward want a new contract extension to stay or would he want to leave no matter what?
Cleveland Browns legend and NFL Hall of Fame Joe Thomas interviews Browns Denzel Ward during the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Huntington Bank Field in Brook Park, Ohio on April 30, 2026. Credit: Mike Cardew/Akron Beacon Journal
The Rams already made one big move for Garrett and also another cornerback this offseason. Los Angeles wouldn't be able to afford to trade for Ward. Well, there are some other NFL contenders who could trade for him. The Green Bay Packers , the Detroit Lions , the Buffalo Bills , and the New England Patriots would be some of the other teams that could trade for the star cornerback.
Geographically, it would make sense for Ward to go to either Buffalo or Detroit. Both of those teams are in win-now mode and the Browns are not. Even if Ward does not request a trade, there will be other teams calling the Browns about him during the season. Cleveland will most likely be sellers once again at the NFL trade deadline and don't be surprised if Ward is on the move. He was probably not injured during mandatory minicamp, and this will be something to watch.
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