The Cleveland Browns dodged two bullets on the injury front. The Browns got a huge sigh of relief after learning that quarterback Tyrod Taylor is going to be just fine after dislocation his pinkie finger during Thursday’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Rookie cornerback Denzel Ward, meanwhile, also escaped with apparently just a minor injury after exiting the Philly game with a back issue.
According to Zac Johnson of The Athletic, Hue Jackson delivered an optimistic outlook on Ward’s status following an MRI, saying that the first-round pick won’t miss much time.
After spending the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft to get quarterback Baker Mayfield, the Browns added help to their defense three picks later by taking Ward off the board.
Cleveland’s stop unit finished second-worst in scoring defense in 2017 when it allowed 25.6 points per game. The Browns were also 17th against the pass that season, allowing 230.2 2 passing yards per contest. Perhaps even more glaring was the Browns’ low interception total with just seven – second fewest in the NFL.
It’s unclear whether Ward will appear in Cleveland’s final preseason game next Thursday against the Detroit Lions on the road, though, it’s probably the best for the team to sit the rookie and make sure he’ll be as fresh as possible when the Browns open the season at home on Sep. 9 opposite the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ward had a three-year stint with the Ohio State Buckeyes, and in his last year there in 2017, he recorded two interceptions to go with 37 tackles.
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