Denzel Ward recently declared that he wants to stay with the Browns long-term, and now one analyst covering this team is explaining exactly why those words carry more weight than your typical offseason quote. Lance Reisland joined Daryl Ruiter on 92.3 The Fan and revealed why Ward’s situation is different than Myles Garrett’s situation was.
“I do think being a local kid, that means something to him. Obviously everybody can come see him, everybody enjoys watching him play, etc. But I will say this: this is a business. And when you saw with Myles, as you saw what a business this really is. The thing that I’m getting from Myles’ trade once again is not that Myles was a terrible guy, because I don’t think he was, not that Myles is not a great player, we all know he’s a great player, but what you’re getting is that Myles wasn’t really bought into the Cleveland Browns. And with their struggles now, when I look at Denzel Ward, that tells me, hopefully as a coach, it tells me Todd Monken got his hooks in him and Todd Monken is pushing forward with this,” Reisland said.
"I like the idea that he says, 'I want to be a Cleveland Brown.' It's very important for this defense that Denzel is here…make no mistake about it."
🚨 @LanceReisland w/ @RuiterWrongFAN on #Browns CB Denzel Ward's comments following the trade of Myles Garrett https://t.co/kNJCtzgp1V pic.twitter.com/Q2RquHPHgT
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) June 7, 2026
Garrett was a generational talent who, by all available evidence, was never fully committed to the Cleveland Browns as an organization. His early trade request, his absence from voluntary OTAs, and his immediate sprint to Rams workouts after the deal paint a picture of a player who was physically present in Cleveland without being emotionally invested in it.
Ward is the counter-narrative. He grew up in the area, was drafted by this team, and has stayed through the hardest years this franchise has had in recent memory. Being a local kid means something to Ward. Players who have roots in a place carry a different kind of investment than players who arrive as free agents or trade acquisitions with one eye already on the next destination.
If Monken has Ward fully bought in to what he is building heading into his first training camp, that is a meaningful early win for a coach still trying to establish his identity with a roster that was not his own from day one.
Ward told reporters it is still Ohio against the world. That matters, and only a native of the area truly understands what that means.
NEXT: Andrew Berry Revealed What Really Pushed Browns To Make Myles Garrett Trade
