BEREA, Ohio — With Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders vying for the Browns’ starting quarterback job, Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward is determined to give them all a true test.
“I’m planning to intercept all of them in practice,” Ward said after the Browns wrapped up their second day of mandatory minicamp. “They’re all competing hard and looking good, so I’m excited to see how it unfolds. The best man will earn the job.”
Ward has a front-row seat to what’s shaping up to be one of the NFL’s most high-profile quarterback competitions ahead of the 2025 season.
It’s Ward’s first opportunity to line up against rookies Gabriel and Sanders — though he’s only faced Gabriel during full-team drills so far — but he’s already familiar with Flacco and Pickett.
Ward and Flacco were teammates in late 2023 after Flacco joined the Browns midseason, stepping in for the injured Deshaun Watson and helping lead the team to the playoffs. However, their history goes further back — as a rookie in 2018, Ward snagged one of his early career interceptions off Flacco in a 12-9 win over the Ravens in Week 5.
As for Pickett, the former Steelers quarterback spent last year with the Eagles but had faced Ward three times during his Pittsburgh tenure, with Pickett holding a 2-1 advantage in those matchups. Although Ward never intercepted him, he did break up four of his passes.
If Ward manages to intercept Pickett during training camp, it’ll not only back up his practice promise but also serve as progress in an area he’s focused on improving: turning pass breakups into takeaways.
“I think about that a lot,” Ward admitted. “Coach Jim Schwartz really pushes me, and I’m thankful for that. I want to be more than just great. He always reminds me — pass breakups are good, but interceptions change games.”
Ward had arguably the best season of his career in 2024, even as the Browns struggled to a 3-14 record. He earned his fourth Pro Bowl selection, recorded a personal-best 17 pass breakups, and snagged two interceptions. But in his view, he missed plenty of additional opportunities.
“Many were contested, but I believe I’m capable of taking more of those away,” Ward said. “It’s about finishing — getting two hands on the ball and completing the play. That’s my focus this year.”
The Browns’ defense managed just four interceptions and 12 takeaways in total last season. Ward, who’s never topped three interceptions in a single year, has hit that mark three times — most recently in 2022.
“Denzel got his hands on a lot of balls last season,” Schwartz said last week. “Now we need him to turn more of those into interceptions. That’s the difference between being a Pro Bowler and becoming an All-Pro — making game-changing plays.”
Ward is committed to improving, both physically and mentally.
“It’s about getting the right reps,” he said. “Shifting my mindset. Instead of just breaking up the pass, I’ve got to focus on actually catching it — getting two hands on the ball. Practicing with the JUGS machine and locking that mindset in.”
And if those picks come at the expense of his own quarterbacks? That’s just part of the process.
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