Browns' Denzel Ward signs $62.2 million extension

The Cleveland Browns and five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward reached an agreement on a two-year, $62.2 million deal that includes $52.3 million guaranteed, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The $31.1 million annual average value made Ward the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history for the second time in his career.

Ward, 29, had two years but no guaranteed salary remaining on the five-year, $100 million extension he signed in April 2022. The deal comes after the Browns traded defensive end Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams in June, making Ward Cleveland's longest-tenured player.

Ward expressed his commitment to the organization during a celebrity softball event days after the trade. Browns general manager Andrew Berry also indicated his desire to keep Ward, who grew up in a Cleveland suburb.

Last season, Ward recorded 39 tackles and an interception in 15 games played. The No. 4 pick in the 2018 draft, Ward has accumulated 18 interceptions, 104 passes defended, and 361 tackles over his eight-season career.