The Cleveland Browns are in the difficult position of considering taking a few steps back to take even more forward. With an abundance of young talent on the roster, the future looks bright, or at least a bit better than the present.
So, with a chance to make the years ahead even more encouraging, there is a price to pay now. It started with the trade of Myles Garrett, and it could continue with the departure of another familiar defender.
Analyst Anthony Lima said he expects the Browns to move on from longtime veteran cornerback Denzel Ward, predicting he will not finish the season with the team.
“The easy part is the teardown. It’s easy to get a lot of draft picks. They’re gonna trade Denzel Ward next. That’s part of the teardown. They’re gonna trade him. I do think Denzel Ward will not finish this season as a Cleveland Brown. This is part of the teardown,” Lima said.
"I celebrate this offseason with zero (expectation) that I will celebrate during the regular season."
"The easy part is the tear down. It's easy to get a lot of draft picks. They're gonna trade Denzel Ward next."
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— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) June 30, 2026
The way Lima puts forth his argument, it could mean that he believes the Browns may wait until the NFL trade deadline during the season to part with Ward. Not only could Cleveland gauge its own status as a playoff contender and keep Ward if they want, but by waiting, the Browns can likely seek more in return for Ward from a team that is looking to shore up for a potential deep postseason run.
However, a recent development elsewhere could result in Ward being on the move much sooner than that. The Detroit Lions recently released starting cornerback Terrion Arnold after he had his bond set at $1 million for felony charges of armed robbery and kidnapping.
That could put the Super Bowl hopefuls in the market for a replacement right away, and Ward could be a legitimate answer. The Browns may believe they already have a replacement on hand in Myles Harden, who would move up from nickel corner into their starting lineup alongside Tyson Campbell.
For his part, Ward has expressed a desire to remain with his only NFL team, even after Garrett was traded away to the Los Angeles Rams. The 29-year-old Ohio native has played eight seasons for Cleveland since he was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, earning five Pro Bowl selections, including each of the past three years.
While it would be difficult to see Ward go, an attractive return could set up the Browns even better moving forward.
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