Browns Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward placed on reserve/COVID-19 list, will miss season finale
Cornerback Denzel Ward will finish his second Pro Bowl season on the reserve/COVID-19 list, testing positive Saturday ahead of Sunday's finale against the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium.
It is the second time Ward has battled COVID-19. He missed the regular-season finale against the Steelers and the AFC wild-card victory at Pittsburgh last January.
A Nordonia High School and Ohio State product, Ward made an emphatic case for a contract extension this season, tying his career-high with three interceptions, the most since his rookie season in 2018, when he was drafted fourth overall.
His signature moment came against the Bengals on Nov. 7, when he intercepted a Joe Burrow pass and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown in a 41-16 victory at Paul Brown Stadium.
Ward has also contributed 43 tackles, a half-sack, and a team-high 10 passes defensed in 15 games for the Browns (7-9).
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In other moves, the Browns activated running back D'Ernest Johnson from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Later in the day, he was added to the injury report as questionable with an illness.
Johnson had been expected to carry the load Sunday, with the Browns perhaps unwilling to risk injury to three-time Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb, already dealing with a rib injury from Monday night's 26-14 loss at Pittsburgh. Running back Kareem Hunt is questionable with an ankle injury suffered Dec. 12 against Baltimore.
Linebacker Malcolm Smith was also placed on the COVID-19 list.
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Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield will sit out as he awaits Jan. 19 surgery on his left shoulder, with Case Keenum taking over. Burrow said Wednesday he will rest after the Bengals clinched the AFC North title last weekend.
The Browns waived linebacker Willie Harvey Jr. and cornerbacks Brian Allen and Herb Miller, guard Hjalte Froholdt, defensive end Curtis Weaver and safety Adrian Colbert were elevated from the practice squad. Miller and Weaver are COVID replacements.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/browns. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Browns will be without Denzel Ward in finale against Bengals
