The Browns have locked down a franchise cornerstone at cornerback.
The team and Denzel Ward agreed to a five-year, $100.5 million contract extension on Monday, a person familiar with the deal confirmed to the USA TODAY Network. The deal includes $71.25 million guaranteed. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.
Agent Tory Dandy told ESPN the news.
An Ohio State product, Ward will be under contract with his hometown NFL team through the 2027 season.
With an average annual salary of $20.1 million in new money, Ward is the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history, edging Los Angeles Rams five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey’s $20 million per year. Ward’s $71.25 million guaranteed also edges Ramsey’s previous record of $71.2 million guaranteed, according to spotrac.com.
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Browns cornerback Denzel Ward celebrates after making a fourth-down stop to seal the win against the Ravens during the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, in Cleveland.
The extension represents an ideal scenario for Ward.
“In a perfect world, I would definitely want to be a Brown for my entire career,” Ward said in June. “I’m from Cleveland, the team that drafted me, the team that believed in me coming out of college. I take a lot of pride and respect into that and just want to give my all to this team.
“It’s definitely a place I want to be. I enjoy being a Cleveland Brown and giving them everything I’ve got.”
Ward’s agent, Dandy, and the Browns began contractual talks in the spring. Before the extension materialized, Ward had been under contract through the 2022 season, when he’ll be due $13.294 million guaranteed as a result of General Manager Andrew Berry exercising the fifth-year option on the player’s rookie deal in April 2021.
Browns cornerback Denzel Ward runs the ball after a second-quarter interception against the Ravens, Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021, in Baltimore. (AP…