Browns Trade Pitch Swaps $60 Million Pro Bowler to Lions for Premium Draft Pick
· Yahoo Sports
The Cleveland Browns don’t have to be sellers before the NFL trade deadline, but there should be a strong market for some of their most expensive players if the front office decides to align personnel and competition timelines like they did in the Myles Garret-Jared Verse deal earlier this summer.
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One player who would likely draw significant attention is cornerback Denzel Ward, and one team that makes sense for him is the Detroit Lions.
Mina Kimes of ESPN suggested on the Tuesday, September 8 edition of her podcast that Detroit’s talent, current Super Bowl window and strength of schedule (among the worst in the NFL in 2026) all add up to render the team a prime trade candidate in the coming months.
“I could see them being first place in the division [mid-season], the offense is great, Drew Petzing has worked out, but they realize the defense isn’t actually good enough,” Kimes said. “But they know they need another pass-rusher, another DB. And also they know that this might be their shot. The NFC North is like weird and wide open.”
Kimes’ guest on Tuesday, Nate Tice of Yahoo Sports, agreed and cited Lions general manager Brad Holmes’ willingness to make trades involving big-name players.
“Trade for Denzel Ward maybe?” Kimes said. “Denzel Ward makes sense in that defense — good fit.”
Browns May Be Able to Land Day 2 Draft Asset in Return for Denzel Ward
GettyCleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward has been a target of trade rumors.Ward is heading into his age-29 campaign. He is a five-time Pro Bowler, including the last three years in a row and four of the previous five seasons.
Cleveland just extended Ward on a two-year deal worth $62.2 million total that keeps him under contract through 2029. He still had two seasons remaining on the $100.5 million deal he inked in April 2022.
Ward’s age and salary might push his trade value south, which would be good news for Detroit. That said, the Browns wanted him around enough to extend him this offseason, so they might argue for more compensation at the negotiating table.
A good starting point, at least, is Day 2 of the draft, during which teams make selections in the second and third rounds. The Lions currently hold eight picks next April, all of their own (Rounds 1-7) and another seventh-rounder conveying from the Los Angeles Chargers.
If Detroit is playing well enough to spend major draft capital in a trade, that means the Lions are likely to select near the end of every round, which might bring a late second-rounder into play depending on how well Ward performs across the first half of the season.
Lions’ Secondary Depleted by Injury Heading Into Season
GettyDetroit Lions safety Brian Branch.Detroit’s roster is a bit lopsided heading into Week 1, with the offense still very much a heavyweight while parts of the defense can potentially be toppled with a feather.
The greatest issue is in the secondary, where both starting safeties — Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch — will begin the season on the physically unable to perform [PUP] list. Meanwhile, the depth chart at cornerback is almost just as thin.
Ward could help solve that talent deficiency, and his timeline syncs up better with Detroit’s window than it does in Cleveland, where stockpiling picks in a loaded 2027 draft class makes all the sense in the world.
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