The Cleveland Browns have a former Defensive Player of the Year in their ranks right now.
Notably, Denzel Ward wants to make it two.
In the first training camp practice, the veteran cornerback claimed that he could absolutely be a candidate for the award:
“I think I’m capable,” Ward said before the Browns took the practice field for the first time during training camp. “I’m definitely a Defensive Player of the Year caliber player.”
Ward also opened up about the team’s aspirations and how the defense recognizes that they need to improve this season.
Ward is a four-time Pro Bowler and widely recognized as one of the best defensive backs in the game, but he has yet to receive a single vote for Defensive Player of the Year in his career.
He clearly has the potential to be a candidate, but given how the media usually deals with Browns players, he would have to do something extraordinary to even draw some consideration.
Moreover, this award is often based on numbers, so he would most likely have to record double-digit interceptions.
The Browns’ defense wasn’t as dominant last season as it was in the first year of the Jim Schwartz era.
Still, they will return most of their core players, all while adding two prime youngsters in DT Mason Graham and LB Carson Schwesinger, both of whom should have a big role right out of the gate.
As for the secondary, having Martin Emerson Jr. bounce back after a worrisome season will also be crucial for Ward to stand out from the rest of the pack and for this defense to be back on point.
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Kevin Stefanski Has Eye-Opening Praise For Browns Rookie
