Last Sunday afternoon the Cleveland Browns managed to keep a sliver of hope alive for their 2024 season with a stunning upset of the surging Baltimore Ravens, but the win came with a price. The Browns lost Pro Bowl linebacker and leading tackler Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah to a neck injury that landed him on the injured reserve. But that wasn't the only significant loss that the Browns defense was dealt.
Denzel Ward exited last Sunday's win with a concussion, the sixth documented concussion of the three-time Pro Bowler's NFL career, per Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. Given the fact that Ward has had so many head injuries over the course of his career, including one over the summer, it seemed unlikely that he would be able to take the field on Sunday afternoon against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers. But on Sunday morning, NFL insider Ian Rapoport provided a surprising gameday update.
“Browns CB Denzel Ward, who is coming off a concussion and practiced on Friday, has cleared the NFL's concussion protocol and is expected to play today.”
After eight weeks, Denzel Ward leads the league with 13 passes defended. He's the 38th highest rated cornerback in the league out of 110 qualified players at that position, per Pro Football Focus.
Denzel Ward set a career high in tackles against the Chargers with 11 stops in a 2022 meeting. However, since the Browns selected Ward with the 4th pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, they've yet to get a win over the Chargers. In that time, the Browns are 0-3 against Los Angeles.
The Chargers head to Cleveland banged up in their own right. LA's receiving corps has been battered all season long, and linebackers Joey Bosa and Denzel Perryman are both questionable to play on Sunday afternoon.
