Denzel Ward agrees to two-year contract extension with Browns - NBC Sports

What the report says

NBC Sports’ ProFootballTalk reported that Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward has agreed to a two-year contract extension with the team, keeping him in Cleveland after an offseason in which he had indicated he wanted to remain with the franchise. The report, published July 28, 2026, said Ward’s agents told reporters the agreement is worth $62.2 million, including $52.3 million guaranteed.

According to the NBC Sports report, the deal makes Ward the NFL’s highest-paid defensive back. Ward, 29, is an Ohio native who played at Ohio State before the Browns selected him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He has since become one of Cleveland’s most important defensive players and one of the league’s top cornerbacks.

The agreement is notable because NBC Sports described the Browns as being in a rebuilding period, a context that could have made a trade possible for a high-value veteran. The article contrasted Ward’s situation with that of Myles Garrett, reporting that Garrett wanted to leave and was traded, while Ward did not seek an exit.

For Cleveland, the extension signals a decision to retain a cornerstone in the secondary even as the roster is reshaped. For Ward, it provides long-term security and positions him to continue playing his prime seasons with his hometown organization.