Denzel Ward was nominated for the second time in his career for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. It's a great honor and he might not be done collecting accolades this season. (TheLandOnDemand)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Takeaways from Browns practice and interviews …
Despite the Browns’ team doldrums, Denzel Ward’s individual season keeps getting better.
It started with him being voted a captain for the first time at any level of football -- an honor that he deeply appreciated.
On Thursday, he was named the Browns nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for raising awareness, education and resources toward heart health and cardiac arrest prevention through his Make Them Know Your Name (MTKYN) Foundation.
In between those honors, Ward has had his best year on the field. He has not missed a game and leads the NFL with 19 PBUs (passes broken up), giving him a league-high 95 since he entered the NFL as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 draft.
Ward’s interception total is up to two – “Should be five,” said safety Grant Delpit – after Ward nabbed a deep overthrown ball in Denver from Bo Nix intended for Marvin Mims.
Ward’s better play in the Denver game might have been deflecting a very low pass for Troy Franklin with his left hand, which ricocheted into the arms of Greg Newsome for another interception.
“I think he’s the best corner in the league,” Delpit said. “I’m a little biased. He should have at least five picks. He’s always around the ball. He doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. Definitely pushing him for All-Pro this year. He’s carrying our secondary.
Ward has been voted to the Pro Bowl three times in his seven seasons. One more would match Frank Minnifield’s franchise-record for a Browns cornerback of four Pro Bowl berths. Ward wants to punctuate his season with his first All-Pro selection.
“It’s definitely a goal of mine I plan to achieve,” he said.
“So proud of him in a lot of ways,” said defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. “Not just on the field, but off the field. He does so much for the community and we’re all proud of him.”
The Man of the Year nomination is Ward’s second; he also was the Browns’ nominee in 2021. Every team nominates one player every year and a special committee elects an overall league winner at NFL Honors at the Super Bowl.
“I know it means a lot to my mom [Nicole] and brother [Paul III] and everyone who takes part in my foundation to try to spread heart health awareness,” Ward said. “She’s the backbone of the foundation. She’s really the Walter Payton Mom of the Year. I told her this is your award.”
Deliver him, Lord
Most people got a laugh out of Jameis Winston’s post-game speech in Denver, in which he said he will pray to “deliver me from the Pick 6’s.” The video went viral and bolstered Winston’s reputation as a fun interview after wins or losses.
He didn’t mean it to be funny. He was in emotional despair after his two Pick 6’s cost the Browns dearly in a 41-32 defeat.
“No. I mean, it’s not fun,” Winston said. I take it very personally. But I do believe in prayer, and I know prayer works. But I still focus on the decisions. I can work technique stuff, I can work fundamentals, and I’m going to continue to work fundamentals and understanding that when those moments come up, focusing on the fundamentals and technique more than the moment.”
Winston maintained, as he did after the game, that both INTs were the result of poor throws, not poor decisions.
Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey said Winston was still distraught about the picks the day after the game.
“It’s still in your head a little bit,” he said. “But in this league, you got to be able to turn the page quickly. I think the great thing about Jameis is he’s a veteran guy, he’s been through a lot in his career, good [and] bad. And I think he’s got a good understanding that, ‘Hey, obviously there are some things that went well, and there’s some things we’ve got to correct from the last game’. He’s going to work to make those corrections, but we got to turn the page and focus on an opponent this week who is a really good team, a really good defense, and we got to be able to turn the page quick here, especially on a short week.”
Let’s get funky
Remember that ill-fated fake punt attempt by the Browns in the season-opening game in Baltimore way back in 2020? It was Kevin Stefanski’s first game as Browns coach, and the botched play by punter Jamie Gillan, from the Browns’ 31-yard line in the first quarter, was a metaphor for an opening game trouncing.
“Listen, that is my responsibility,” Stefanski said after that 38-6 loss. “That is on me. That did not work out, and you can put that right on me.”
The trauma of a daring play-call blown up in his Denny’s menu apparently never has worn off. Stefanski has never tried anything fancy on special teams since that very first game.
In fact, the Browns have gone the longest of any team in not attempting a fake on special teams. The Bears are next. Their last fake on special teams came in Week 9 of 2020.
Considering the state of things this year – the Browns are 3-9, assured of another losing season, shut out (virtually) of another post-season – why not try something, anything, to spark a win?
“You’d have to ask Kevin,” special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone said to me on Thursday. “We talk through things every week.”
The Steelers tried a fake punt against Washington from inside their own red zone early in a game on November 10. Punt protector Miles Killebrew threw the ball to gunner James Pierre, who was uncovered, but Pierre dropped it. It led to a Washington touchdown. The Steelers survived and won, 28-27.
Brownie bits
Kicker Dustin Hopkins’ nine misses (seven on field goals, two on PATs) rank second behind Baltimore’s Hall of Fame-bound Justin Tucker, who has 10 (eight FGs, two PATs). “It’s an extremely difficult position to play. It’s one that I would not want to take part in, honestly,” said Ventrone. “There’s a lot of variables and factors that go into it. Obviously, we’ve gone from a veteran snapper to a younger snapper. Those things, everything factors into the kick, to the operation, the timing, the speed, the placement, the conditions. So, we haven’t had the, I would say the results at a high enough level. I think that he’s done a solid job trying to fix it. So hopefully in the next five weeks we can do that.” …
Browns who did not practice were: Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (concussion), defensive end Sam Kamara (concussion), offensive tackle Jedrick Wills (knee), and defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (ankle, foot) …
Free safety Juan Thornhill (calf) returned and was limited.