CB Denzel Ward (9.3.20)
CB Denzel Ward:
On if any Browns DBs have caught his eye with their opportunity to get more reps due to injuries:
“Someone who I would say definitely caught my eye with more reps from guys being injured is (CB) A.J. Green. I feel like he has been having a great camp and making plays when he has been in there, making plays on ones or whoever he has been out there with. He is definitely a guy I feel has stepped up.”
On dealing with the adversity of injuries in the secondary:
“It was a good test. You do not want guys to go out or be injured, but it was a good test for guys to step in and play a little bit more than they would have and to see those reps that they may not have seen because guys would have been in that position before.”
On playing without CB Greedy Williams recently and desire for Williams to return to the field:
“All my teammates, all my DBs, they are all my partners so it is not just Greedy, but I definitely miss Greedy being out there, participating and competing out there with us so definitely looking forward to getting him back.”
On if this is a big year for him to prove that he is an elite CB, given he said he had a pretty good but not great year last season:
“I believe so. I believe every time I get the opportunity to go out there and show what I can do is a big opportunity to show that I am an elite corner in this league and do what I can do to help my team win.”
On if having a new defensive coordinator and new defense is an advantage for the Browns, given that there are no preseason games for other teams to see the overall structure of the defense:
“I feel it is alright. I think they know what guys are going to run just coming from different systems, coming from the 49ers or whatever team it may be, they kind of carry on the same systems. I think it will be good, though.”
On if it is a significant advantage and will allow the Browns to ‘surprise opponents in a big way’:
“No, not necessarily. I do not think so.”
On how difficult it is for defenses to handle RB Nick Chubb when coming through the line:
“You guys see what Nick Chubb can do. He is a big back. He can run. He is shifty. He is a one-cut guy. He is definitely a playmaker out there. Some people will probably be hesitant seeing him come around on the edge as fast as he comes. He is a great player.”
On training his body to be ready for more contact in Week 1 following a modified training camp and no preseason games:
“I feel like coaches have been doing a good job putting us in position and kind of feel what we are going to feel during a game with contact and setting up drills and having live scrimmages and live parts in practice. I feel they did a good job, and we will ready come game-time, once it is time to take guys to the ground and tackle.”
On his improvement in Year 3 and if he has set himself up to make more strides this season:
“I feel I definitely improved. My coaches have been doing a great job with just helping me critique my technique and things that I need to work on. I feel I definitely made a lot of strides.”
On if there was something specific he learned more on how to critique himself this year:
“Like I said, my coaches, they are doing a good job with critiquing me, I am critiquing myself and things that I did not work on before, just new things to me that I have been working on.”
On if it is one of his goals to make another Pro Bowl:
“Yeah, that is definitely a goal of mine. I got a lot more than just the Pro Bowl, just go in and try to win every game that I can. That is definitely a goal to get back to the Pro Bowl.”
On if this year feels different compared to last season with all the hype and high external expectations for the Browns:
“Yeah, a little bit, but me, personally, I do not try to even look at the hype. Whether there was hype last year or this year, I do not try to look at it too much and let it play a factor in whether or not or how we do this season. I try to just stay in-house and focus that way.”
On his expectations for the season when looking at the talent on the Browns roster:
“The NFL is talented. I think we can be really good, though. Just have to take a game at a time and take it from there.”
On the challenge to maintain communication and continuity with multiple DB injuries:
“Like I said, I feel it was a good test. Guys got tested early by going down so they got those reps where you could communicate and work with guys you may not have gotten all the reps with before. I feel it has been good and communication is still there.”
On WR Donovan Peoples-Jones:
“Donovan, he is a good player. He is a versatile player. He can play inside in the slot or outside. He is a good player. He is definitely going to be a player for us that I am sure our coach is going to use.”
On how Williams is coping with being out due to the shoulder injury:
“I know he is definitely eager to get back. He is still working on everything. He is probably not getting as many on the field reps at the moment, but he is definitely eager to get back. He will be ready to go once he is ready.”
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