The Philadelphia Eagles don’t and general manager Howie Roseman don’t tend to sit on their hands when they see a weakness, and six weeks into the 2025 season, there’s a pretty glaring weak spot.
NFL.com’s trade-needs tracker listed cornerback as Philly’s biggest priority entering Week 6, and that was before second-year standout Quinyon Mitchell exited Thursday night’s 34-17 loss to the New York Giants with a hamstring injury.
Adoree’ Jackson has already been benched once, and Kelee Ringo, has been struggling on the left side in his starts. That’s why Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl corner Denzel Ward should be at the top of Roseman’s wishlist. The Browns have dropped three straight games and currently sit at the bottom of the AFC North with a 1-5 mark.
Does that mean they’d be willing to trade Ward and other high-profile stars soon? Maybe, maybe not — but Roseman should absolutely be wearing Cleveland’s phone lines out.
Adding Ward to the Secondary Would Be a Game-Changer for Philly
Getty ImagesThe Philadelphia Eagles should make every attempt to try to trade for CB Denzel Ward of the Cleveland Browns.
The No. 4 overall pick for Cleveland in 2018, Ward has earned four Pro Bowl nods (2018, 2021, 2023 and 2024) over his eight-year career. At 28, he’s still in his prime, and he has shown no signs of slowing down.
Through six games so far this season, Ward has 17 total tackles (13 solo), five pass breakups and an interception. He’s coming off a 2024 campaign that saw him lead the NFL in pass breakups (19), and he has 18 interceptions over his career. He has been both consistent and reliable, and he’d be a great fit in Philly.
Vic Fangio’s defense isn’t complicated to understand from a cornerback’s perspective: limit explosive plays, communicate well, tackle in space and win one-on-ones when called upon. Ward can do all of that and more. He’s known for his keen instincts in coverage, and having him opposite Mitchell would allow Fangio to trust his corners in isolation and get more creative with his safety rotations and pressure looks.
What Might a Trade for CB Denzel Ward Cost the Philadelphia Eagles?
We’re not saying trading for Ward would be cheap. He’s in the middle of the five-year, $100.5 million extension he signed in 2022, with $71.25 million guaranteed. The Browns restructured part of that deal this summer, which lowered his 2025 cap hit to $14.8 million — but it also increased the dead money they’d carry if he were traded.
That means Cleveland would need a significant return — and Philadelphia would have to be willing to pay it.
There are signs the Browns might at least listen. They’ve already shaken up their CBs room this month by trading Greg Newsome for Tyson Campbell, and they’ve shown no signs of being good at all this year. Ward isn’t on the trade block, per se — but he’s one of the few pieces who could net Cleveland a substantial return if they do decide to have a fire sale.
A trade that makes sense for both sides could look like this:
- Eagles receive: Denzel Ward and a 2027 sixth-round pick
- Browns receive: A 2026 second-round pick, a conditional 2027 third-round pick that upgrades to a second if Ward hits certain snap or INT benchmarks, and CB Kelee Ringo
Giving Ringo back in a trade would give the Browns a young corner to work with in Ward’s absence, and a future second-rounder with the potential for another second-round pick if certain incentives are met feels like adequate compensation for a trade like this.
There’s no doubt Ward would give Fangio’s secondary a huge boost. The only questions are whether Roseman wants to spend that much — and whether the Browns would be willing to move him.
Eagles Trade Proposal Swaps Kelee Ringo for 4-Time Pro Bowl CB