Cleveland Browns veterans Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit stay off the practice field as offseason youth movement continues

The Cleveland Browns’ offseason has been defined by roster turnover and a faster pace toward new faces, but questions are surfacing around two veteran defensive starters. According to reports tied to the team’s offseason practices, cornerback Denzel Ward has been limited, while safety Grant Delpit has not been participating in drills during the spring and early summer portions of the program.

In a June report, Yahoo Sports wrote that Ward did not participate in any on-field drills during the team’s voluntary OTAs, though he has remained at the facility and reportedly participated in some 7-on-7 work at times. The same report noted Ward was limited again during a more recent practice window, citing ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi as the source for the on-field observation.

Delpit’s situation, as described in the same report, has been more stark. He was around during the voluntary portion of the program but did not participate in drills, and the story said that was again the case during a later practice day. Through that lens, the Browns appear to be handling Delpit differently than many of their other defenders who are part of the rotation for offseason reps.

This kind of discrepancy can be normal in June, when the league’s offseason calendar is built around voluntary work, coach-led individual sessions, and veteran rest management. Both Ward and Delpit are experienced players who, in theory, know what their readiness timeline looks like heading into training camp. Still, the reports add friction to an offseason that is already asking the Browns to rebuild their defensive identity.

The timing matters because Cleveland is not treating this year as a simple retooling cycle. Yahoo Sports also framed GM Andrew Berry’s offseason activity as an infusion of youth and a sustained roster reset. In the reporting, Berry selected 10 players in the 2026 NFL Draft, with several expected to compete for meaningful playing time early. Separately, the team is also said to have moved on from notable veterans through trade, free agency, or retirement, reinforcing an approach that prioritizes a younger core.

One external outlet discussing the team’s broader direction described the Browns as “all-in” after a major deal involving defensive cornerstone Myles Garrett. That account, while not an official Browns publication, underscores how much Cleveland’s offseason has centered on long-term roster construction rather than short-term veteran continuity.

The practical question now is what the Browns’ coaching staff is doing with those two defensive starters during the final stretch before mandatory veteran minicamp phases. If Ward’s limitation is tied primarily to the usual offseason load management, it will be less of a competitive concern than a visibility one. If Delpit’s absence from drills continues into later offseason work, it will become more relevant for a defense that needs consistent chemistry at safety and cornerback ahead of preseason reps.

For now, the Browns’ watchlist is straightforward. Track whether Ward returns to full team drills in the next mandatory window, and whether Delpit begins taking part in full practice segments rather than remaining outside the work. The answer will help clarify whether Cleveland’s offseason problems are mostly about routine veteran management, or whether the roster reset is forcing earlier-than-expected adjustments in the defensive backfield. If the pattern persists, the team’s summer depth plan will matter as much as its draft-and-develop message heading into training camp.

Caveat: The reporting describes what players did or did not do on specific practice days. Until the team provides medical or participation clarifications, these observations should be treated as practice-status updates, not definitive conclusions about long-term availability.