Denzel Ward wants to remain with the Cleveland Browns even after the team traded his long-time teammate, star defensive end Myles Garrett, to the Los Angeles Rams.
Ward affirmed his status when asked about his future at his inaugural celebrity softball game on June 6.
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“I definitely still want to be here,” Ward said, per ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi. “Myles is a good friend of mine, a great teammate, but things aren’t lost. It’s Ohio against the world. So people could doubt us, but we’re going out there still trying to play our best ball and bring wins to the city.”
Ward had been teammates with Garrett since arriving in Cleveland as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. The duo played eight seasons together and helped lead the Browns to a stellar 2025 season during which they ranked fourth in defensive EPA allowed per play, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.
After Garrett’s departure, Ward becomes the Browns’ longest-tenured defensive player. The 29-year-old is clearly looking forward to operating in that role and seemed hopeful about helping to turn things around in Cleveland.
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Myles Garrett acknowledges the Cleveland crowd during the first half of a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on Feb. 24, 2026.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Myles Garrett acknowledges the Cleveland crowd during the first half of a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on Feb. 24, 2026.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Myles Garrett greets girlfriend Chloe Kim after the women’s halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy on Feb. 12, 2026.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Myles Garrett chats with girlfriend Chloe Kim after her second run in the women’s halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy on Feb. 12, 2026.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Myles Garrett puts on a shirt with a photo of his girlfriend, USA snowboarder Chloe Kim, while in attendance at the women’s halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy on Feb. 12, 2026.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Myles Garrett (center) poses with his father Lawrence Garrett (left) and mother Audrey Garrett on the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl 60 at Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on Feb. 5, 2026.
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) celebrates with teammates following a sack against the Bengals during the fourth quarter at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Jan. 4, 2026. The sack set a new NFL single season record.
(Katie Stratman, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) celebrates with safety Donovan McMillon (31) following a sack against the Bengals during the fourth quarter at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Jan. 4, 2026. The sack set a new NFL single season record.
(Katie Stratman, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is all smiles as he jogs back inside before a game, Dec. 21, 2025, in Cleveland.
(Jeff Lange, Akron Beacon Journal via USA TODAY NETWORK)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, left, and defensive tackle Shelby Harris walk off the field during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus in Berea, Ohio on July 23, 2025.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) celebrates after sacking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (not pictured) during the first quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Nov. 19, 2023
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) during the first quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Nov. 19, 2023.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) hits New York Jets quarterback Joe Flacco (19) during the second quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sep. 18, 2022.
(Scott Galvin, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) helps up Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields (1) during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sep. 26, 2021.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) hits Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) with his own helmet as offensive guard David DeCastro (66) tries to stop Garrett during the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium on Nov. 14, 2019.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) on the field warming up before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on Aug. 17, 2019.
(Trevor Ruszkowski, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) celebrates after the second half of a game against the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sep. 20, 2018.
(David Dermer, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) high-fives fans after the game against the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium on Oct. 8, 2017.
(Scott Galvin, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks New York Jets quarterback Josh McCown (15) during the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium on Oct. 8, 2017.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Cleveland Browns first round picks defensive lineman Myles Garrett and defensive back Jabrill Peppers and tight end David Njoku display their jerseys to the media at the Cleveland Browns training facility on Apr 28, 2017.
(Ken Blaze, Imagn Images)
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Myles Garrett takes defensive prowess to LA after being traded to Rams
Myles Garrett is announced as the No. 1 overall pick to the Cleveland Browns during the 2017 NFL Draft at Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia on April 27, 2017.
(Bill Streicher, USA TODAY Sports)
At the same time, Ward acknowledged how rapidly things can change in the NFL and that he won’t have any control over whether he will eventually be traded.
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“I could get traded, but I don’t really look too much into that stuff,” Ward said, per Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com. “It’s the nature of the game. Say I do get traded – I feel, for me, like wherever I’m at that’s where I’m supposed to be. So if I’m here, I’m supposed to be here. If I go to a different team, that’s where I’m supposed to be. But I love playing for the Cleveland Browns. I want to be here. I’m grateful – wherever I’m at, whatever opportunity I get to go play football, that’s what I do.”
The good news for Ward? Browns general manager Andrew Berry implied the team wouldn’t be entertaining trade offers for Ward even after dealing Garrett.
“Denzel’s been great throughout the offseason. His communication’s been good. a big part of the team, and we like him a lot,” Berry said at a June 2 news conference. “He’s still playing at a really high level. That doesn’t change with this transaction.”
With that in mind, it seems like Ward will remain in Cleveland at least for the two years remaining on the five-year, $100.5 million extension he inked with the Browns in 2022.
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Denzel Ward contract details
Below are the full details of Ward’s contract with the Browns, which runs through the 2027 NFL season.
Total contract value: $100.5 million
Average annual value (AAV): $20.1 million
Guaranteed money: $71.25 million
Ward is set to make $20 million in cash during the 2026 NFL season with a $16.9 million base salary and a $30.9 million cap hit, per Spotrac.com. His cap hit will drop slightly in 2027, when he will carry a cap hit of just under $30 million.
Ward is set to be a free agent in 2028, but his contract has attached to it three void years. That helps to defray his present-year cap hits but means the Browns will take on a cap hit of just over $9.2 million in 2028 even if Ward doesn’t re-sign with the team.
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Denzel Ward stats
Ward has been a Pro Bowler in five of his eight NFL seasons, including each of the last three campaigns. Below is a look at the stats he has racked up across his eight-year career to date.’
Ward is coming off a season during which he totaled 39 tackles, one interception and nine pass defenses while allowing a 89.7 passer rating. He graded as Pro Football Focus’ 67th-best cornerback out of 112 qualifiers.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Myles Garrett trade won’t impact Denzel Ward’s status with Browns
