CLEVELAND — One cannot keep a good football player down.
Cleveland Browns defensive back Denzel Ward missed three games during his rookie season because of concussion issues, but the first-year cornerback expects to play in Sunday’s Pro Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
“I don’t know how much I’ll play, but we’ll see,” Ward said Friday on ‘Cleveland Browns Daily,’ the team’s official radio program. “Just making sure I’m being safe for the upcoming season. That’s what my main focus is.
“Definitely going to go out there, and whatever plays I do have, have fun with that.”
The Browns played without Ward in the 2018 season finale against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on December 30.
For the second time in a month, Ward missed game action while working his way through the NFL Concussion Protocol after suffering a head injury in a 26-18 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland on December 23.
Ward suffered his second concussion this month when he tried to tackle Bengals tight end C.J. Uzomah late in the fourth quarter. As Ward prepared to make the tackle, he lowered his head and hit Uzomah’s left shoulder and stumbled awkwardly on the sideline until teammates and medical personnel could tend to him.
Immediately, Ward was taken into the medical tent, and later, the locker room for further evaluation.
During the 2018 preseason, former interim coach/defensive coordinator Gregg Williams got on Ward for his tackling techniques after he suffered a back injury while trying to tackle Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz during an exhibition game at FirstEnergy Stadium back in August.
“All of a sudden, when it is his idea, it will be all of the time,” Williams said of Ward working with proper tackling techniques.
A two-time Pepsi Rookie of the Week (Weeks 1 and 5) and one-time AFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Week 5), Ward was among the AFC leaders with three interceptions.
The No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of The Ohio State University, Ward ranked tied for second in interceptions and passes defended, tied for ninth in forced fumbles and tied for first with two fumble recoveries among first-year players.
In 13 games with the Browns this past season, Ward registered 53 total tackles, 41 solo stops and 12 assists along with three interceptions, which he returned for 26 yards, 11 passes defended, one forced fumble and two recoveries.
In addition to the season finale at Baltimore, Ward missed the Browns’ wins over the Carolina Panthers (December 9) and at the Denver Broncos (December 15) because of a concussion suffered in a loss at the Houston Texans on December 2.
“He has had a really good year, and I am sure that there will be a lot of things that when he steps into the arena next year that he has a good feel for,” Williams said.
“That first year is night and day differently from the college game, but we will take care of that, come back in the offseason program, get started and all of those things. He has to get on and ready to roll.”
