BEREA Womens Jaroslav Halak Jersey , Ohio (AP) Denzel Ward gets things done quickly.
One of the rookie cornerback’s first goals was to earn a starting job. Check. Next was paying off the mortgage on his mom’s house. Check. Then it was signing his NFL contract and reporting to training camp on time. Done.
Now he wants to help the Browns win. OK, that may take a minute.
But to this point, nothing has slowed the speedy Ward, who has impressed his teammates and Cleveland’s coaches. After an eye-popping spring camp, the former Ohio State All-American has joined the first-team defense, and the Browns believe the 21-year-old is ready for the weekly challenge of covering elite wide receivers.
Ward’s up for it.
”I’m very comfortable in who I am as a player,” he said Friday without the slightest trace of arrogance. ”I’m a fast player.”
While Baker Mayfield, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback selected first overall by the Browns, waits his turn behind Tyrod Taylor, Ward’s already on the field.
And there’s no reason to think he won’t stay there.
Ward stood out during the Browns’ first training camp practice on Thursday with several solid plays. He made a leaping interception down the sideline in front of three-time Pro Bowler Jarvis Landry during 11-on-11 drills, and Ward looked comfortable whether in goal-line situations or third-and-longs.
He did get beat on a go route by fellow rookie Antonio Callaway, who made a late adjustment to haul in a deep pass from Mayfield.
The catch drew applause from Browns fans, but Ward said the reception probably wouldn’t have counted in a game.
”I think he stepped out of bounds,” Ward said, smiling. ”They caught it with the camera from over here, so they didn’t really see it, but that was a great catch. He can definitely run.”
So can Ward, whose quickness and ability to play man-to-man ”press” coverage is what made him so appealing to the Browns, who surprised many draft experts by taking him so high after he was projected to be picked later in the first round.
His high profile notwithstanding Semyon Varlamov Jersey , Ward has shown a willingness to work and improve since the day he arrived.
”He’s pretty quiet off the field,” said linebacker Christian Kirksey. ”He’s not a person that is going to sit there and just talk all day. He’s going to do his job. He’s going to do it to the best of his ability. He’s very coachable. I believe that once he really gets comfortable with his role of being a lockdown corner, I think that the sky’s the limit for him.”
Ward has immersed himself in Cleveland’s playbook, and beyond watching daily practice film, he’s been taking a peek at tape of some future opponents.
The Browns open the season on Sept. 9 against Pittsburgh, which means Ward will make his regular-season debut against Steelers star Antonio Brown, widely considered the league’s best all-around receiver.
”The game’s not too big for him,” coach Hue Jackson said. ”Those moments are not too big for him. He’s going to face some of the best receivers in the league. Think of the first game of the year, playing Antonio Brown, the best guy on the planet. So you better have real thick skin, and he has that.”
It’s helped Ward to prepare for Brown that he’s been going head-to-head with Landry and Josh Gordon, who is currently away from the team to address health problems.
Ward said he’s not intimidated by any matchup.
”Those guys are elite players, great guys and players,” Ward said. ”But we all put our shoes and pants on the same way, and just come out here and work.”
Ward was the final member of Cleveland’s rookie class to sign, finalizing his four-year, $29 million contract on Wednesday a day before players reported.
The deal includes a $19 million signing bonus, and the financial security prompted Ward, who grew up just outside Cleveland Olli Maatta Jersey , to pay off the mortgage for his mother, Nicole. Ward’s father, Paul, died two years ago.
”My mom has done a lot for me,” he said. ”So whatever I can do to make things easier for my mom, I’m down to do it.”
He has everything covered.
NOTES: Greg Robinson, competing with Shon Coleman to replace Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas, was carted off with a head injury and will be evaluated. … LB Mychal Kendricks participated in team drills for the first time since undergoing offseason ankle surgery. He was signed as a free agent in June after winning a Super Bowl with Philadelphia. … The team signed DL Zaycoven Henderson and WR Blake Jackson.
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Kyle Turris scored the only goal in the shootout to lift the Nashville Predators over the Minnesota Wild 2-1 Tuesday night to snap a three-game skid.
The win clinched the Predators home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs. They also moved three points ahead of Tampa Bay in the chase for the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
Roman Josi scored for Nashville, and Pekka Rinne made 22 saves.
Rinne turned away Nino Niederreiter in the shootout. Zach Parise’s attempt went wide left, and Rinne stopped Mikko Koivu to clinch it.
Eric Staal tied it for Minnesota with 3:15 left on his 40th goal this season.
Devan Dubnyk made 28 saves as Minnesota snapped a five-game point streak. The Wild still won the season series against Nashville, 3-2.
JETS 5, BRUINS 4, SO
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) – Patrik Laine scored the deciding goal in the shootout, Brandon Tanev had his first career hat trick and Winnipeg beat Boston to cap a perfect six-game homestand.
Joe Morrow had his first goal for Winnipeg since being acquired from Montreal last month, and sixth of the season. Adam Lowry had two assists.
Ryan Donato, Danton Heinen, David Pastrnak and Torey Krug had goals for the Bruins, who scored three power-play goals. Krug added one assist and Brad Marchand had two.
Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves to pick up his 40th win for the Jets. It was also their seventh straight victory at home.
Anton Khudobin also stopped 28 shots as Boston ended a four-game road trip 2-0-2.
CANUCKS 4 Youth Evgeni Malkin Jersey , DUCKS 1
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) – Brandon Sutter had two goals and an assist to lift Vancouver.
Alex Biega got his first goal in over three years, and Sam Gagner also scored for Vancouver, which has won three of four since losing seven straight. Jacob Markstrom stopped 23 shots.
Andrew Cogliano scored for the Ducks, who wrapped a four-game trip and are on a 5-1-1 stretch.
The loss dropped Anaheim into a tie with the Los Angeles Kings for third in the Pacific Division, though the Kings have a game in hand. The teams play Friday night.
BLUES 3, SHARKS 2, OT
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Vladimir Tarasenko scored his second goal of the game in overtime to lift St. Louis over San Jose.
Tarasenko got a pass from Vladimir Sobotka and tipped in the winner at 2:33. It was Tarasenko’s 31st goal, and he has 30 or more in four consecutive seasons.
St. Louis has won a season-best six straight games. San Jose had won eight straight.
Oskar Sundqvist also scored for St. Louis, and Jake Allen made 22 saves.
Evander Kane and Joe Pavelski scored for San Jose. Aaron Dell stopped 29 shots.
DEVILS 4, HURRICANES 3
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) – Stefan Noesen scored on a rebound with 1:33 to play and New Jersey continued its playoff push.
Kyle Palmieri had two goals and an assist and Taylor Hall had three assists for the Devils, who have won three straight and six of eight. Pavel Zacha also scored and Keith Kinkaid, who has supplanted Cory Schneider as the No. 1 goaltender, made 31 saves.
New Jersey extended its lead to three points ahead of idle Florida for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, with the Panthers having played two fewer games. Carolina is nine points back.
Phil Di Giuseppe, Warren Foegele and Noah Hanifin also scored as the Hurricanes had a three-game winning streak snapped despite taking a 3-2 lead early in the third period. Scott Darling was outstanding making 41 saves, but Carolina’s slim playoff hopes faded a little more.
BLUE JACKETS 7, OILERS 3
EDMONTON Tyler Bozak Jersey , Alberta (AP) – Thomas Vanek had three goals and an assist to lift Columbus over Edmonton.
Artemi Panarin, Boone Jenner, Cam Atkinson and Markus Nutivaara also scored for the Blue Jackets, who have won 11 of 12. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 22 shots.
Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Drake Caggiula also scored for the Oilers, who have lost two straight. Cam Talbot stopped 13 of 18 shots before being replaced by Laurent Brossoit.
Edmonton got on the board 3:37 into the first period when a mix-up behind the net between Bobrovsky and Nutivaara allowed McDavid to steal the puck and send it out front to Nugent-Hopkins for his 22nd of the season. McDavid picked up his 100th point, tying his league-leading total from last year.
RED WINGS 5, PENGUINS 2
DETROIT (AP) – Luke Glendening scored twice, Darren Helm matched his career high with three points and Detroit beat Pittsburgh.
Helm had a goal and two assists, and Frans Nielsen and Niklas Kronwall also scored for Detroit. Jimmy Howard made 22 saves to help the Red Wings win in regulation for the first time since a 3-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 24.
Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang scored for the Penguins. Matt Murray stopped 21 shots.
STARS 3, FLYERS 2, OT
DALLAS (AP) – Alexander Radulov scored 40 seconds into overtime as Dallas beat Philadelphia to end an eight-game winless streak.
Tyler Seguin passed from the right side across to Radulov, who beat goalie Petr Mrazek.
The Stars were 0-6-2 during their longest stretch without a win since moving to Dallas in 1993. With five games left, the Stars are five points back for the final playoff berth.
Philadelphia extended its points streak to six games (3-0-3) and remained two points ahead of New Jersey for the Eastern Conference’s top wild card.
ISLANDERS 4, SENATORS 3
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) – Andrew Ladd scored the tiebreaking goal late in the third period to lift New York over Ottawa.
Anders Lee, Anthony Beauvillier and Brock Nelson also score Cincinnati Bengals Elite Jerseys
