It’s likely not a serious injury, but the Cleveland Browns should be a little bit concerned. Midway through his first practice at rookie minicamp on Friday, 2018 No. 4 overall pick Denzel Ward felt something in his hip.
He was immediately taken off the practice field and will now miss the remainder of the three-day rookie camp, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
A surprise top-five pick from Ohio State, Cleveland is expecting the cornerback to do big things as a rookie. You simply don’t draft a player at that position so high without expecting an immediate impact.
The good news here is that Browns head coach Hue Jackson noted that the decision to sit Ward is nothing more than precautionary.
“I’m always going to be cautious with our guys if I think they have a little nick or something,” Jackson said. “I don’t think being out here and having a guy, if there’s anything that we feel that might hurt a guy, I’m going to make sure I take him out.”
Ward will likely begin his rookie season as a starter for the Browns. Veterans E.J. Gaines and Jamar Taylor should compete on the other side.