Denzel Ward Reveals Why He Hasn’t Been At OTAs

The 2026 NFL season is still several months away, and fans around the league have been looking for football content in whatever way they can get it. The start of free agency provided excitement, as did the draft, but fans are always looking for more.

OTAs are the start of in-person workouts for organizations, giving fans a small opportunity to see their favorite players in action, usually via social media. Rookies and younger players who are trying to make the team are typically the first to show up to these events, since they’re voluntary.

Other veterans tend to take their time coming back to team activities, wanting to soak up as much of the offseason as possible. Veteran Cleveland Browns CB Denzel Ward noted as much, indicating that he has some off-field business to attend to first.

“I got a girlfriend, so I got to take her out on some dates,” Ward said.

Ward on not being at OTAs: “I got a girlfriend so I gotta take her out on some dates.”😂 https://t.co/ziqqangiMQ

— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) May 27, 2026

Ward and his significant other are seemingly trying to spend as much time as possible together before the season starts. Once team activities kick off, they don’t stop, and the season is a marathon to the finish line.

The Browns’ defense was their best unit in 2025, and they’ll need to perform similarly, if not better, if the team wants to sniff a playoff push. With a new head coach, defensive and offensive coordinators, they’ll need to get on the same page sooner rather than later, which is where OTAs and training camp come into play.

Ward is a veteran defensive back who is viewed as a leader for this organization, and with any luck, he’ll be a great mentor for some of the younger players on this team. The Browns’ mandatory mini-camp starts in June, so fans don’t have to wait much longer to see what Ward and the rest of the defense have been doing in the offseason, getting a small glimpse of what this team is going to look like in 2026.