KSR - NFL Cover Zero: Free Agency continues and Browns CB Denzel Ward

Episode Date: March 26, 2026

Drew Franklin and Billy continue watching NFL Free Agency with Joe Flacco signing with the Bengals.  Should Matt Leinart let USC un-retire his number for an incoming recruit?  What did we learn about the future of the tush push?  Plus, we hear from Browns CB Denzel Ward about being on the same defense as Myles Garrett.   We're back next week with 49ers LB Eric Kendricks! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and IHeart podcast. Welcome into a new edition of NFL Cover Zero. Drew Franklin here with Billy Rutledge. As we keep bringing you more from our trip to San Francisco for the Super Bowl, we did a ton of interviews out there. We are just trickling out releases of each one as the offseason goes on, Billy.

And today we're excited about another one, Denzel Ward from the, Cleveland Browns cornerback. We got a chance to talk with him on our last day out there in San Francisco. I can't remember. Is he one of the people that were picking on your quarter zip, or was he one that played it pretty cool? He was the one that was a little bit nicer than most. He was the one that had diamonds in his hair, so he was very fashionable, but, you know, didn't throw me under the bus like Green Bay Packers, wide receivers did that week. I do like how we're just continuing to live through that Super Bowl week and get as much content in as possible. But Denzel was, I mean, a high-rated draft pick and a really good class in 2018 with all those quarterbacks and he's been pretty good

for the Browns lately. And it was a great interview. We're excited to bring that for you coming up. It is almost April and we're still bringing you things from that trip. That's how awesome the trip was. But we're not done there. We'll have more with Eric Kendrix on down the road. We got other interviews coming.

But for today, today we're setting up the one with Denzel Ward. I loved hearing about just behind the scenes of the Cleveland Browns. You know, they've gone through a few coaches. They've gone through a few quarterbacks. And what I found most fascinating in the interview is what it's like sharing a locker room with a monster named Miles Garrett. Yeah, broke the sack record this year. I mean, the guy is

just a beast of a human being when it comes to how big he is, Drew. I mean, can you imagine standing next to somebody like that? You'd look like a dwarf. Absolutely. We had fun hearing from him about what it's like playing with Miles Garrett on the same side of the ball. Lots of good conversations with Denzel Ward. But before we throw to that, Billy, there's,

it has been a busy offseason. I mean, we had a bunch of free agency signings. We talked about last week. I haven't checked in on the latest on Donna Kelsey's renovation. Maybe we're putting a new sconce in the bathroom. I don't know where we are on that. But that's been a big topic. A few news points today I wrote

down that we could run through and maybe you could add to them. But there's been some wild stuff going on, including, I think we need to start with a name that we all kind of fell in love with last year. Coming back, Joe Flacco at age 41, once more football. I thought last year was going to be Flacco's last

ride. It was already crazy. He's out there with a gray beard and winning games. the Bengals and you know what? He said, I want to run it back one more time. At least one more time. We'll see. But Cincinnati, you're getting more Flacco behind Burrow. Last season seemed too good to be true, didn't it? Like, he came in, didn't even know the playbook? He's telling receivers to just go straight and then left, and he's going to throw it to him. And then he was really good. Like, Cincinnati did pretty well with him. So that seemed like such a magical story. I don't know if there's enough magic to repeat that for old man

flacco, but I guess he's given all the older guys hope coming back, right? Yeah, and it's a good look for Cincinnati. That's an organization. that's been criticized a little bit for maybe some things behind the scenes, how they run it. Maybe not the top of the line and luxury behind the scenes. But Flacco, the reason he's coming back, he said, I love the building. I love the franchise. He wants to be a part of it another year.

So good for the Bengals. That says a lot about them. And, you know, sit behind Joe Burrow and throwing a Jamar Chase if you're called upon. It's probably a fun gig as you're winding down your career. Yeah, that'd be a fun quarterback room, wouldn't it? I mean, Joe and Joe, you've got to think that a Hall of Famer, a future Hall of Famer. You put Joe Flacco in the Hall of Fame, right? Drew, I mean, he's a Super Bowl winning quarterback. Got to. Heck, he might be playing another 10 years, too. We don't know what's next for him. Or maybe he just, he's into fossils and

swords like Burrow, and they've got a little buddy system going on in the QB room. But that's, of all the things that have come out from the NFL, that maybe surprised me the most. I didn't even consider a Joe Flacco comeback. Well, you know, Todd Monkin, with former offensive coordinator for the Ravens, maybe there was a history there when Joe was back with Baltimore. Who knows? But should be interesting. interesting in that division this year with all the new head coaches there. That, and one more quarterback news I wanted to get. It's more college, but it is an NFL name. Did you see Matt Leinert in USC what they were going through this week?

Oh, I did see this. It's another one I wanted to make sure we talk about. Matt Leinert's number 11 is retired in L.A., you know, great career, obviously. Reggie Bush, probably the best they've ever been. Pete Carroll, we all know the story. But his jersey's retired number 11, as it should be. And I guess this week, Coach Rowley was like, hey, we got a recruit.

He wants to wear number 11. Hey, Matt, I think maybe we could unretire a little bit. And he basically was like, hell no, you can't. We're leaving that up there forever. I'm not just going to give it away to some kid I don't know and who could transfer a year from now. So I thought it was more on how firm he was in saying he wasn't giving it up. But I thought that was interesting of the alum that, you know,

could maybe throw the University of Bone and recruiting by letting somebody wear number 11. Linerd said, no, nay, mile 11 is staying sacred and won't be worn again. Well, yeah. I mean, if you're just going to unretire, the great numbers because every five-star wants to wear it, it loses its significance, right? I mean, that number 11 jersey for USC should be remembered as Matt Liner. It's the lefty quarterback winning national championships. So, I mean, I would understand like the Yankees where they don't have a single,

single digit available because they've retired so many. But, I mean, come on. You got to keep the history there, right? He said, that kid, probably chance of him staying at USC after two years is slim anyway. so it ain't happening bro i'm keeping mine up there forever you can call me selfish i don't give a bleep oh i didn't know it was that strong from that fired up um i a quick google search tells me that our 163 players have had their jersey's numbers retired and the bears and giants both have 14 numbers each i understand you get to a point where it's like hey man we've had a lot of grates but we do need

some available numbers for our future i get that clearly matt linerts staying firm and leaving his retired at USC. Let's say Billy Rutledge was just a football sensation. Western Kentucky, we'll say you're your alma mater. Let's say you're their all-time leading passer and you let them back-to-back music city bowls. And your number, what number would you have been? Oh, man, back in the day, I think I was seven, Drew. I was lucky number seven. Billy's number seven is up there in the stadium and they come to you 20 years later. Hey, Billy, we got this recruit. We need them bad. And it seems like not being able to wear the number seven is a deal breaker in the recruitment.

Can you throw us a bone and let us pull that down from the Hall of Fame and let him wear it? Are you budging? Are you more Matt Liner? Well, the Music City Bowls didn't weren't very profitable for me before NIL existed. And I didn't really turn it into an NFL career. So I need the money. So are you going to pay me to unretire my jersey because you might have my attention as a failed professional athlete? But Matt Liner, who's on TV and things like that?

I mean, he's got a legacy to live up to. So I think I'm taking the money, Drew, but at the same time, I could see why Matt's standing strong. You know, the story says Carson Palmer gave up his number three for Jordan Addison, who went to USC. So there's been precedent there. But Matt Linerd's not giving it up. I would probably be selfish like Matt Liner. You would. Listen.

That's my number. Yeah. You put it up there for a reason. We retired. It's going to stay retired. And what's to say the kid's not going to transfer one year later in today's climate? Or if he plays and he's just awful. Oh, then you sully that I'm going to do.

Yes, you've stained my jersey. So I thought he was a little too firm in saying, I don't give a blank. But I get what he was going for. Yeah. Well, hopefully maybe Matt Leinert's son will come up and maybe he'll unretire it for that. We do have some concerns before we get to the Denzel Award interview. Oh, what's that? I'm worried.

You know, we're excited to keep this cover zero thing going. Our first year was so great. I mean, we're still, as I said, we're still talking about the Super Bowl. It's been over, it's been almost two months, and we're still riding high. But I think we might have competition next year. Oh, we do? Another podcast? Mike Tomlin has hired media agents.

He's not going away quietly. I didn't have Mike Tomlin as a guy we'd see on the set before any of these games. But it looks like things are lining up for the – and he doesn't even want to be retired at all. He wants to get right back to work. It's looking like Mike Tomlin might be trying to do our job. Maybe a little gap year for him as he waits one year before he probably takes another coaching job as many would expect. you think he's going to be making the circuit soon doing the pregame shows and things like that?

You know, I don't know that he's going to just push us out of the way and take over cover zero, but it is looking like things are lining up where Mike Tomlin will be part of all the big experience, the conversations before and after. I mean, there's a million networks that cover the NFL now. I don't know which direction he's leaning. But for a guy that kind of had that stoic look on the sideline all the time,

doesn't seem that outgoing. A little surprising might be dipping a toe into media right away. Well, if he becomes a part of the NFL family, I will reach out. we'll have him on the show. I mean, we already had Brown Spider and First Lady on the show after their parking lot wedding at the Browns tailgate earlier this year. So why not have Mike Tomlin on? And, you know, he's a former buck.

He was on those teams back in 2002 and the good defenses. John Gruden went in Super Bowls. So I'd have a lot to talk to him about. But he's going to take a year off and do the media thing, it sounds like. Completely forgot about the Buck's connection. And this wasn't on my list. But I saw, is it Levante David that retired? Oh, yeah.

My goodness. For everyone that hasn't seen it, his retirement press conference, he starts talking about his parents. They both passed away. I think most recent was just a few years ago. And he's going on about all the sacrifices they made for him. I believe he's from Miami growing up to the point. They had one family car and mom would take it to work. And he rode on his dad's handlebars on his bike to get to practice.

And he is just bawling. And I completely understand. And I'll admit I got a little emotional watching him. So as a Bucks guy, tell me more about Levanté. And clearly that's a dude that highly respected. The response to that was big, but a big emotional moment for him as he retires after several years in Tampa. For Mike Evans to leave for San Francisco and then Levanti, David, to retire. I mean, the team will be a shell of itself than what it has been over the last 10, 14 years that Levanté has been a buck.

You don't see a lot of players stay with one team for the entire time. So he did really mean a lot. And he talked about seeing the paper bags in the stands when the lost decade of the bucks when they were pretty bad. Greg Shiano years and things like that. And that's what motivated him to get them back to the top. And, you know, he was able to win a Super Bowl with Tom Brady. That's a guy that embodies his community and has been a really good player. I mean, I think he's a first ballot Hall of Fame or Drew.

I'm a little biased. But this is a guy that is compared to Luke Kee-Klee with the modern linebacker, one of the best. And you're right, man, that story about both of his parents have passed, but like talking about riding on the handle part to practice. Just the sacrifice is his family made for. him to go on and have the career he did. And then just watching him be emotional. I think it touched a lot of people.

I wanted to ask you about that. I'm not as ingrained in the bucks as you are. Thank you for my Levante David moment. Yes. Of course. He's going away, but one thing that's not going away, did you see the tush push will be coming back? Yes.

They don't want to hear about it. We're not going to talk about it. We're not going to meet about it. We're not going to debate it. Y'all shut up. If you don't like it, the tush push is here to stay. Yeah. And it feels like that's kind of the natural thing that was going to happen

after a year of complaining about it. And it kind of got stopped, though, a few times. It wasn't as effective. But it's just, it's not pleasing to the eye, right? It feels like a different sport. It's like we're playing rugby for one play. And it kind of takes away from the goal line moments. But, you know, I think it has a lot to do with the owners.

And I guess they didn't want to vote on it here. And last year we saw some teams get creative and trying to stop it. We'll probably just see more of that next year. It worked a little bit, as you said, the percentage of success went down quite a bit, but it's not going anywhere and they don't want to hear about it. Not even going to debate it in the league offices. Well, you know, the UFL is starting soon, and I guess they have a lot of rules that they're trying to implement that maybe you could see in the NFL in the future.

So they don't have tush pushes and you can't punt after the 50-yard line. I kind of like that one, Drew. Yeah, I kind of like that too. That almost seems like some video game stuff they're going to work in. Maybe, well, I'm sure we'll get to talk about that more as they get more into it, but that's been rumored to something that could be popping up soon. Yeah, I mean, cowardly punting on the other side of the 50, please let's go for it here we're just going to have NFL blitz blitz rules soon go for it on

fourth and 20 you know they're going to make it as wild as possible start doing things like that i would love it yeah and i know the league i mentioned the league offices that they didn't talk about the push and i know they're listening to covers zero right now sure so to everyone in the league offices we love you and we want to let you know that coming up dinsel ward from the cleveland browns next no Ohio state legend great conversation about the changes that have happened in cleveland even better conversation about what it's like just even playing need or Miles Garrett, the most superhuman person in the NFL. So we've got that coming up for you now.

Check it out. Denzel Ward will be back next week with more from our trip to San Francisco. I know it feels like forever ago, but to us that will live in our brains forever. All right. Of all the players we've had here, I'm not sure we got one with more sort of star power than Dizel Ward. The whole fit here is immaculate. Appreciate it.

Even in the hair you've got the diamond. You got the detail. I got a few details. I mean, that is detail. How long does it take to put? You didn't just throw that on, this whole, this whole look. No, you know, it takes a little time. But, you know, I get some help from my style.

My girlfriend's my stylist. So she helps style me. So it's not just either. That's a problem, though. You can't break up. Right, yeah, yeah. Because then everything's going to get worse. Right.

You do that. Exactly. Defense back for the Browns five-time pro bowler here for EA Sports and Madden. I want to talk to you about Madden in a second. But let's talk about the Browns. It's going to be new era in Cleveland. Are you looking forward to the changes in what's ahead? Yeah, I'm definitely looking forward to it.

You know, we just got offensive-minded coach and Todd Munkin. And just looking forward to what he could bring to our offense and to our team. You know, I heard a lot of great things about him able to elevate Lamar Jackson's game and Derek Henry's game. And, you know, looking for that that happened here in Cleveland. Because y'all in the defense are like, we're good. Just don't screw it up. Now, you lost your coordinator there, but you think you'll be able to keep it up. even in this new era?

Yeah, I believe so. You know, we got a lot of great players, got a lot of great talent as a core on the team. So I'm definitely looking forward to seeing who our new DC will be. You know, I'm heard that we lost coach Schwartz, but I think we're still going to be able to play at a high level. How many podcasters do you think you would take to beat up Miles Garrett? Just we're like the average podcast.

How many of us would it take down? Let's say there's the three of us. And then there's another version of each of us. So it's six of us. Could we take out Miles Garrett? Do we have a chance? I think you're going to need a few more people. You're going to need a few more people.

Miles Garrett is a meta-human. He's like a different type of human being. I don't know. I think you guys will need a couple more people, though. So he is the freak of nature that we all see on TV, just as superhuman. Just a superhuman, exactly. What makes him so, I mean, obviously he's massive. I've stood next to him, but what makes him so effective?

Why is he, he's now the all-time single-season's athletic leader? Yeah. I think for him being as big as he is, what is he's, six, five, two something, but he's explosive and fast. Like he has quick twitch like a DV at the D-line position. So I think that's what helps separates him. And, I mean, just the moves he's able to do to get around a defender, our offensive player and his speed, I think kind of separates him from other guys.

Man, I grew up on Madden. I developed my love of the sport playing the game. And so, I mean, I still play it today sometimes. What were you playing on initially? Like as a kid, like how did you grow up gaming? Like, what was your first system? And what were you playing back then? That's a good question.

That's a great question. So I think my first system I was playing the game, I had a Nintendo, had a Nintendo. And then end up. I had the original Nintendo. All right, I had the little 8-bit ones. Go ahead, yes. So I end up, I think I started that, was it, it was like NFL 2K or something like that? What was that?

It was 2K5? Let me get my OG Madden T-shirt. Here are all we're doing. Oh, look. I was wondering, Drew just started taking his clothes off in the middle of it. Talk about the goat. I will also represent. That's a real throwback.

That's a real throwback. But yeah, started out there and love that ever said. Yeah, that ever said. I was wondering what you were doing. He was just talking. I'm like, let me just take my shirt off. In the interview, no, I'm wearing. I need that shirt.

That's a nice shirt. I had 94. That's crazy. One of my favorites, if we're going to talk Madden, I just wanted to be dressed for the occasion. I like it. You were in the 2018 draft class, which of course had all those quarterbacks,

Lamar, Josh Allen. But Sam Darnel's the first one to go to the Super Bowl. What do you think about that? That's crazy. I didn't expect it, honestly. But, I mean, like I said, we definitely had a great draft class, a lot of high-powered quarterbacks. And, yeah, he was the one to make it out, you know.

He's looking forward to seeing what he does in the Super Bowl. One thing about playing in your division, though, you see Burrow and Lamar twice a year. We're Kentucky guys. So we watch Lamar in college. Yeah. it has to be I mean he's just a different

freak of nature right how do you how do you adjust to playing him twice a year yeah it's tough honestly that's one of the games is like oh okay we got Lamar Jackson this week it's tough because his ability to be able to just continue the play so like usually a play last four to six seconds but he's still running back there so we're having to cover guys like Zay Flowers

just across the field just cutting and running so it's like it's not your traditional just route Like they just running around like backyard football pretty much. And we just chasing guys around. So knowing that you got to cover longer, I think that's what makes it a little bit more difficult going against that. There's a story that Dion Sanders apparently used to say to his coaches, you give me so-and-so and then you worry about the other 10.

Are you give me so-and-so and then you can worry about the other 10? So I'm more so like, I'm going to be on this side of the field. You could double coverage everything over there. and I'm going to be man. I'm going to be man coverage on it. So this side of the field shut down and worry about the other side of the field. See, I love that confidence. But D.Bs, you're the ones that do that.

Like, D.Bs talk the most trash, right? I don't really talk too much trash. But give me the top three trash talkers in the NFL. In the NFL? It might be offense because you're the one receiving theirs where you don't get to see the defensive ones. Yeah. Just from the outside looking in, I mean,

I think it used to be Jalen Ramsey, like the biggest trap, one of the biggest trash talkers. I think Devin Witherspoon, he's a guy that kind of, I see him talking trash. I'm going to go Greg Newsom. Greg Newsom, he's a big. Greg Newsom, there's a. Well, I tell you, next time somebody talks trash to you, just show them that, the braids with the day. Like, nobody's going to be able to handle that.

Do you, Cleveland, okay, takes a lot of crap as a city. Fans love it. We interviewed two people today, two people this year who got married in the parking lot of a tailgate. Brown Spider at the Brown Spider at the game. What is it like playing in Cleveland and with those fans that have been long suffering? Yeah. I love it, man. That's my hometown.

Like, I'm from Cleveland. So, you know, I grew up watching the Browns, went to Browns games growing up, was with the dog pound in the city. So, I mean, it's a great fan base, great city. And they just want to win, you know. But regardless, if we're not winning, losing, they always there in the stand supporting this. But imagine what it's going to be like when you do win. Definitely.

Definitely. It's going to be crazy. The city is going to explode. It's going to be crazy. Being from there, a place with not as much tradition as a lot of other teams, does it just make you want to be a part of it that much more when they do figure it out, having those roots and being a lifelong fan, as you said? Yeah, definitely.

I mean, I just know the moment that we make it to the playoffs, make it to the Super Bowl, the city's going to be on fire. So wait on the moment. It's coming. You know, it's coming. So just wait for it. Now tell me about Matt, I hear you got a pretty good rating. Am I correct about that?

Not a good enough. rating. The rating is, okay, I think I'm like a 92 right now. You need to be higher than a 92. I'm glad y'all said. That's what I'm saying. I feel I've been disrespected and Madden. I don't even think I have an X-Factor of Madden. But you're wearing to Madden. Oh, yeah. I'm a great supporter of Madden. I love Matthew. I'm going to guess. This is just a guess. I'm going to guess your ratings higher next year. I hope so. I hope so, you know, coming on, I got five Pro Bowls, you know, coming on. What else are you supposed to do? I don't know what else I got to do. So I'm going to get on

call and manna and put you guys on the phone and you know hopefully guys could tell left who is the who is the best madden player and uh on your team all right saying i'm gonna have to go myself i'm i'm i feel i'm a extreme level madden player you know i saw cam scataboo over there just a minute he was he was well i don't know he was celebrating they were giving him some award i think the two of you should go out that'd be a good matchup that'd be a good matchup we go set that up i got to ask and we won't make it weird for browns fans but do you play with the browns or do you play another team. See, you got to tell on yourself here.

No, actually I do. Usually I do a franchise mode, though, so you could pick different teams, but I still pick the Browns and then you could drive any players that you want in the league. You don't want to be stuck with your, what was it like the Shador experience? I mean, obviously, you know, I had some ups and downs as a player, but there's just so much else that came along with that. Did the team get used to it, or is it like, you know, it's just one of those things? No, it was good.

I don't think it was as bad as people might. of made it seem from outside in, like, Shadour, he comes in and it locks in, works hard, and just tries to get better each day. So, I mean, it wasn't nothing out of ordinary that he was doing when he came to work. I mean, practicing against you every day probably helps him a little bit, right? Yeah, I believe so. Like I said before, I picked him off a few times in practice, so, you know, trying to help him learn and grow. He's helping me as well, making good throws. Going in the draft this year, what do you think the team needs to add? I would say personally I think that we need to go offense

offense heavy in this draft you know get some more old linemen get some receivers get a lot of just offensive positions and help grow there and that all right well did zelle before you go you obviously have the the fashion sense as well as anybody I want you to look at the guy next to you okay this is bill yeah all right billy has these quarter zips he is big on the reversible quarter zip we can wear he can reverse he can reverse it on the other side. Christian Watson said it was a terrible look and it was like

five and one head and shoulder shampoo. Right. I like Christian Watson. I think you're dressed even better than Christian Watson. What do you think of the reversible quarters of it? I don't think it's not bad. And also it's not the clothes. Like it's you that make the clothes. So it's like you're comfortable in that

and that's what you like to wear. That's what gives off the aura, gives off the vibes. So I like it. That's your style. That's good. You know, I see you got the You see like the time piece? I like it. What about the NFL logo hat? NFL logo.

I'm not mad at it. I'm not mad at it. You know, we at the Super Bowl. Like, it's a great moment to wear the hat. I got the ultra confidence that a DB has to have, right? You got to have that short-term memory. He looks a little bit like a DVD. A different DETTEL Ward here for EA Sports and Madden for Cleveland Browns.

Thank you very much for the time. Appreciate it. Appreciate it. All right, that was NFL Cover Zero's interview with Cleveland Brown, Denzel Ward. We enjoy talking to him. We'll have more for you coming up soon. We'll hit the latest news in the NFL. News we don't know yet, but it's a busy offseason with the draft approaching.

And we'll have our interview with 49ers linebacker Eric Kendricks, who made a huge play for the 49ers in the postseason. He was part of that team. They had to throw together when they battled so many injuries, a guy whose career looked like it might have been over and he stepped up for them in a big way. So it was great talking to him, learning what it was like. being on a team that was just riddled with injuries, and we'll have that coming up soon. For now, thanks for listening to NFL Cover Zero. Billy, thank you for doing another one with me, and we'll be back next week. Let's do it.

NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and IHeart podcast. For more podcasts from IHeart Radio, visit the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.