Denzel Ward

Cornerback

Age: 27
Free Agency: 2028 (Void)
Accrued Seasons: 6
  • 2024 Salary Cap Charge: $12,138,918 (4.19% of cap)
  • 2024 Cash Payout: $15,924,000 (5.12% of spending)
  • 2024 Cash to Cap Ratio: 1.31
  • Contract Value: $100,500,000 ($20,100,000 APY)
  • Fully Guaranteed Money: $44,500,000
  • Contract Ranking: 2/269 at CB

Current Contract

(Extension, signed 2022)
(📝: indicates contract trigger occuring during that year)
YearAgeBase SalaryProrated BonusRoster BonusGuaranteed SalaryCap
Number
Cap %
Dead Money & Cap Savings
SigningOptionRegularPer Game
202225$1,035,000$4,000,000$0$0$0$1,035,000$5,035,0002.3%
2023 📝
March 17: $14.3 million of 2024 salary is guaranteed
26$4,041,000$4,000,000$3,680,000$0$600,000$4,041,000$12,215,1184.9%
2024 📝
March 16: $12.45 million of 2025 salary is guaranteed
27$1,125,000$6,839,800$3,680,000$0$600,000$1,125,000$12,138,9184.2%
202528$13,476,000$6,839,800$3,680,000$0$600,000$0$24,595,8009.5%
2026 📝
March 20: Roster bonus due
29$16,900,000$6,839,800$3,680,000$2,500,000$600,000$0$30,519,80010.7%
2027 📝
March 20: Roster bonus due
30$17,400,000$2,839,800$3,680,000$2,500,000$600,000$0$27,019,8008.6%
202831Void$2,839,800$0VoidVoidVoid$2,839,800--
Total$53,977,000$34,199,000$18,400,000$5,000,000$3,000,000$6,201,000$114,364,236

Contract Notes

Denzel Ward signed a five year extension worth $100.5 million with the Browns on April 18, 2022. Contract details come via PFT. Ward received $71.25 million in guarantees of which $44.5 million are fully guaranteed at signing. Ward received a $20 million signing bonus and will receive an $18.4 million option bonus in 2023. His 2022 and 2023 salaries are fully guaranteed and $1.024 million of his 2024 salary is also fully guaranteed. If on the roster on the 3rd day of the 2023 league year the balance of his 2024 salary is guaranteed. $12.45 million of his 2025 salary will be guaranteed on the 3rd day of the 2024 league year. There are roster bonuses due on the 3rd day of the 2026 and 2027 league year.

On February 28, 2024 the Browns converted $14.199 million of Ward's base salary to signing bonus, and added one void year for salary cap purposes to save $11.359 million per Tom Pelissero report.

Cash Flows

- old money
- fully earned money
- unearned or partially earned money
$20.1M
$40.2M
$60.3M
$80.4M
$100.5M
Old Money202220232024202520262027
Cash Due$105,882$6,959,000$22,935,118$15,924,000$14,076,000$20,000,000$20,500,000
Running Cash$7,064,882$30,000,000$45,924,000$60,000,000$80,000,000$100,500,000
Career Earnings: $73,395,475
Career APY: $12,232,579
Potential Earnings: $143,895,475
Total Guarantees: $73,665,356
Largest Cash Payment: $22,935,118 (2023)
Largest Cap Number: $30,519,800 (2026)

Contract History

TeamContract TypeStatusYear SignedYrsTotalAPYGuaranteesAmount Earned% EarnedEffective APY
BrownsDraftedExtended20184$29,165,356$7,291,339$29,165,356$29,425,357100.9%$7,356,339
BrownsExtensionActive20225$100,500,000$20,100,000$44,500,000$43,970,11843.8%$21,985,059
Earnings By Team
TeamYrsSalaryAPYPaid on Cap% Paid on CapPaid as Dead Money% Paid as Dead Money
Browns6$73,395,475$12,232,579$46,675,4740.0%$00.0%

Season History

YearTeamBase SalaryProrated BonusOption BonusRoster BonusPer Game Roster BonusGuaranteed SalaryCap
Number
Cap %Cash Paid
2018Browns$480,000$4,822,792$0$0$0$480,000$5,302,7922.2%$19,771,169
2019Browns$570,000$4,822,792$0$1,298,356$0$1,805,698$6,628,4902.7%$1,805,698
2020Browns$750,000$4,822,792$0$2,471,396$0$3,131,396$8,044,1883.5%$3,221,396
2021Browns$920,000$4,822,792$0$3,707,094$0$4,457,094$9,449,8864.5%$4,627,094
2022Browns$1,035,000$4,000,000$0$0$0$1,035,000$5,035,0002.3%$21,035,000
2023Browns$4,041,000$4,000,000$3,680,000$0$600,000$4,041,000$12,215,1184.9%$22,935,118
2024Browns$1,125,000$6,839,800$3,680,000$0$600,000$1,125,000$12,138,9184.2%$15,924,000
2025Browns$13,476,000$6,839,800$3,680,000$0$600,000$0$24,595,8009.5%$14,076,000
2026Browns$16,900,000$6,839,800$3,680,000$2,500,000$600,000$0$30,519,80010.7%$20,000,000
2027Browns$17,400,000$2,839,800$3,680,000$2,500,000$600,000$0$27,019,8008.6%$20,500,000
2028Browns$0$2,839,800$0$0$0$0$2,839,800--$0
Total$56,697,000$53,490,168$18,400,000$12,476,846$3,000,000$16,075,188$143,789,592$143,895,475

Statistics

YearGames PlayedGames InactiveSnapsTacklesNegative PlaysInterceptionsFumblesTD
InjuredHealthyDefenseSpecialSoloAssistSacksYardsTFLQB HitsPass Def.INTYardsForcedRec.Yards
2018133071.4%11.6%411200501132612290
2019124070.5%12.8%3860011112610161
2020123071.9%12.6%388001118201000
2021151076.4%11.5%3490.521210300000
2022142168.7%11.7%4211001115300200
2023132158.6%6.1%304001011201000

Valuation Diamond

The diamond is a scatterplot graph that visualizes the relation of the player's APY (in green) and performance (in blue, as measured by OTC's Valuations) to the rest of the league at his position. To understand how to read the diamond, read this explainer.

OTC ValuationAPY
Regular$2,031,000$20,100,000
Injury Adjusted$2,935,298$17,587,500
test
OTC Valuation $3.1M $6.3M $9.4M $12.5M $15.7M APY $3.5M $7M $10.5M $14M $17.5M $4,253,000 $3,775,717

Weekly Valuation Trends

The chart below illustrates the trend of the player's weekly OTC Valuations (in blue) from the most recent season, using APY (in green) and, if applicable, cash that is due to the player in the next season (in red) as benchmarks. Weeks not plotted indicate that the player was inactive or on a bye.

To see interactive and more in-depth use of OTC Valuation data, subscribe to OTC Premium.