Denzel Ward was really good as a rookie, earning a Pro Bowl berth at cornerback in his debut season for the Browns. While Ward didn’t make the Pro Bowl in 2019, he was even better in coverage in his second season than he was in his heralded rookie campaign.
Ward allowed the fifth-lowest completion percentage among qualifying cornerbacks in 2019. Per NFL Inside Edge, just 36 of the 73 passes thrown Ward’s way were completed. Only four DBs bested his 49.3 percent allowed:
Ward also finished fifth in the league as a rookie, but he couldn’t quite crack the 50 percent mark in 2018. The No. 4 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft is the only player to finish in the top five in each of the last two seasons.
Ward faced 20 fewer targets in his second season in 93 fewer snaps. If he continues his torrid lockdown pace, expect those targets to dip even more in 2020.
