Getty Cleveland Browns corner Denzel Ward
Cleveland Browns starting corner Denzel Ward suffered an injury in training camp practice on Tuesday.
Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens revealed the injury during his post-practice press conference. Kitchens said Ward tweaked something while defending on a long ball, but he didn’t know the extent of the injury.
#Browns Kitchens said Denzel Ward tweaked something on a long ball. Doesn’t know the extent of it
After being selected No. 4 overall in the 2018 draft, Ward made the Pro Bowl as a rookie a season ago, establishing himself as a top corner in the league. The Ohio State product collected three interceptions, 11 passes defensed, a forced fumble and 36 tackles.
First-year Browns defensive coordinator Steve Wilks showered Ward with praise at training camp.
“The No. 1 thing that stands out is the speed,” Wilks told Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal/Ohio.com. “He can run with anybody. He has the ability to cover, really, all of the best receivers we’re going to go against.
“Corners can be really inconsistent with their tackling. This guy loves to step up there and get physical. I know he had the issues last year with concussions. Now it’s about how we teach tackling.”
Denzel Ward Embracing Practice Matchups With Odell Beckham
Ward has spent much of training camp covering the Browns new No. 1 receiver, Odell Beckham Jr. It’s an experience he has embraced.
“We are going to get each other better,” Ward said. “We are just out there competing and getting each other better trying to help this team win. It is going to be a good matchup in practice.”
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Beckham has not been shy about heaping praise on Ward.
“I personally think that he’s going to be a top, top corner,’’ Beckham said at minicamp. “From what I’ve seen, we’re going to go at it every single day, and we’re going to get better. That’s what me and him talk about when we [have conversations]. I tell him, ‘If you have any questions, anything, you come ask me.’ I’m going to do the same. I’m going to walk up to you and be like, ‘What did you see on the route?’ What made you do this? That’s how you get better.”
Myles Garrett, Browns Defensive Line Banged Up
On Monday the Browns revealed that Pro Bowl defensive end Myles Garrett is dealing with a knee injury. He missed Tuesday’s practice as well.
As with Ward, it was not specified how serious the injury is or if he’ll miss additional time. However, Garrett told NFL Network that he plans to play in the Browns first preseason game on Thursday against the Washington Redskins.
With no qualms about being on the “other” side, @joethomas73 asks #Browns DE Myles Garrett if he’ll be playing in Thursday’s preseason game. Myles, who didn’t practice today, says yes and then promises, “I’ll be showing some flashes.”
Garrett had some company on the sideline. In fact, the entire Browns starting defensive line missed practice with injuries for a second consecutive day. Larry Ogunjobi also missed the session, while Sheldon Richardson (abdomen) and Olivier Vernon (hamstring) have been sidelined for multiple practices.
As with Garrett, the Browns have not spoken on the severity of those injuries, but none of them were given an injury designation on the Browns unofficial depth chart that was released Monday, hinting that it might not be anything long-term.