A shockwave rattled the draft when the Cleveland Browns selected Denzel Ward over Bradley Chubb — they made the right choice.
Mandatory training camp for the Cleveland Browns is set to start June 25 at the the team’s training complex in Berea, OH. All eyes will be on the former Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward, in large part because late rumblings and reports suggested the Browns would select defensive end Bradley Chubb with the No. 4 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
However, new general manager John Dorsey opted to improve the secondary instead. The selection of Ward wasn’t just about the best player available for the Browns, it was about need. With the front seven loaded with talent, especially at defensive end, a cornerback made sense to add t the roster.
The Browns have starters Myles Garrett and Emmanuel Ogbah, with Carl Nassib and Chris Smith working into the rotation. Drafting Chubb would have just been overkill at this point. Contrarily, their corner spot was on empty and Ward is expected to help immediately.
What he brings to the table is sheer athletic ability, feistiness and physicality needed from a cornerback in Gregg Williams’ system. Players like Samari Rolle, Nate Clements and Turmaine Johnson had career years under Williams. Likewise, Ward should flourish because of his similar skill-set.
Though smaller (5-10, 183 pounds) than the others listed above, Ward’s ability to press and disrupt quick routes is second to none. He also possesses the ability to mirror routes because of his speed, quickness, and football intellect.
Additionally, his willingness to tackle and his big play ability makes him an X-factor. Ward will be moved around the field to shadow the deep threats. However, as a rookie, there will be some short-term hiccups — as is to be excepted.
Still, Ward should bring the Browns a long-term solution in addition to some much needed immediate success. As a matter of fact, Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot reported via Twitter that Ward has officially been inserted with the first-team during OTAs.
#Browns Denzel Ward promoted to 1st-team cornerback in final week of OTAs https://t.co/z5OBTSw93R
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) June 5, 2018
The Cleveland Browns are a very young team on the rise. Ward is just another piece of the puzzle that appears to be nearly complete. He’ll likely start alongside E.J. Gaines with Briean Boddy-Calhoun in the slot.
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Only time will tell who’ll have the better career between Ward and Bradley Chubb. As of now though, the Browns made the right choice. They couldn’t afford a luxury pick, and Chubb would have been just that.
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