Cleveland Browns: 4 Browns whose stock is down after MNF Jets win

2. Denzel Ward

Denzel Ward didn’t play against the New York Jets, as the former fourth overall pick looked clueless when trying to make a tackle.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler took Ward to task for his poor tackling, going so far to say the corner looked disinterested.

Additionally, upon watching the game in real-time, it looked like Ward was having a heckuva time trying to defend Robbie Anderson. I think Cleveland eventually moved Greedy Williams over to Williams’ side.

Ward’s rough day comes after a brutal Week 1 in which he was torched by rookie A.J. Brown. If you want to give Ward the benefit of the doubt, you could argue he was caught by surprise. Nobody knew Browns was going to be that good.

That said, he’s supposed to be a shutdown corner and it doesn’t matter who you’re covering. You’ve got to shut them down.

Ward was stellar in his rookie campaign, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl. He battled multiple concussions, though, but is apparently healthy in 2019, which makes his slow start all the more confounding.

It doesn’t get easier for Ward in Week 3, as Jared Goff, Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods come into town. He will have to return to Pro Bowl form if the Browns are to have a chance.