One of Cleveland’s own is sticking around his hometown for a few more years. The Browns and cornerback Denzel Ward have agreed to a lucrative new multi-year contract extension that locks the Northeast Ohio native into the brown and orange until at least 2027.
Ward will sign a five-year extension worth $100.5 million, per Adam Schefter of ESPN via Ward’s agent. Follow-up reports indicate the deal will feature $71.25 million in fully guaranteed monies for Ward, who turns 25 later this month. It’s a great commitment for Ward, who has earned Pro Bowl nods in two of his first four NFL seasons, including last year.
The No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 draft has been a full-time starter from Day One in Cleveland. He’s battled several minor injuries, costing him 13 total games, but has proven to be one of the NFL’s elite coverage weapons through a variety of defensive coaches and schemes.