Denzel Ward has had an eventful week even before the pads fully came on, locking up a new contract extension and picking off Deshaun Watson within days of one another. Ward is approaching this camp with genuine excitement, and much of that energy stems from the challenge waiting for him on the other side of the football.
Ward spoke candidly about what has him energized heading into training camp, and he says the talent now in Cleveland’s receiver room has him excited for the challenge.
“I’m excited. Those wide receivers are going to make me work. When I get out here, I’ll make them work. That’s just what it’s all about. That’s what camp is about, just getting better and getting ready for the season. Like I said, we’ve got a lot of talent on the offensive side and at the receiver position. Just being able to go out there and go against all the different body types and players is going to be exciting,” Ward said.
It makes plenty of sense given how much the receiver room has changed. Cleveland used premium draft capital on both KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. Add in an emerging Isaiah Bond and a breakout tight end in Harold Fannin Jr. drawing outside attention, and it becomes clear why Ward is excited.
For a cornerback of Ward’s caliber, that kind of daily competition is what keeps a skill set sharp heading into the regular season. From a polished veteran like Jerry Jeudy to explosive rookies still adjusting to the league, Ward is preparing for nearly every kind of challenge he could see from opposing offenses once games begin to count.
With the quarterback competition between Watson and Shedeur Sanders still the headline storyline of camp, having a locked-in veteran like Ward competing hard against Cleveland’s growing receiver room every day only raises the level of competition across the entire roster. If Ward’s early interception is any indication, that daily battle is already paying dividends for both sides.
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