The Pittsburgh Steelers typically worry about themselves and no one else throughout the majority of the offseason, and that strategy has usually led to the organization being one of the more revered around the league. However, right now it has been hard not to pay attention to some of the drama happening within the AFC North, as a division rival slowly appears to be falling apart from within. Again.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Justin Fields gets a first down against the Browns.
Longtime nemesis for the Steelers, Myles Garrett, recently requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns due to the lack of success on the field from the team. This was some of the best news that Steeler Nation could've asked for unrelated to a player in Black and Gold, as Garrett tormented the Steelers for the better part of a decade after being drafted first overall by the Browns in the 2017 NFL Draft.
After Garrett made his request, another elite level talent from the Browns is questioning his future with the team. That would be none other than four-time Pro Bowl cornerback, Denzel Ward. When speaking with Cleveland.com, Ward spoke briefly on Garrett's request.
"(The request) has a huge impact, honestly," Ward said when asked about Garrett's trade request. "I want to play with Myles Garrett. He’s a Hall of Fame player. I came in the league, he was on the team and that’s my guy. So I’ve been talking to him and I know he said he wants out, but you’ve just got to hear where he’s coming from. He wants to win, so we’ll see what the near future holds."
It is clear that while Garrett was committed to the Browns, he just ended up being fed up with the continued lack of success. It is also clear that Ward has a high level of respect for Garrett, as is deserved, and as a result, he sympathizes with him having gone through the same situation coming into the league just one year after.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers WR Diontae Johnson drops a pass against the Cleveland Browns with Denzel Ward in coverage.
Ward appears to be more committed to remaining in Cleveland than Garrett is, for now. However, Ward did leave the door open for his future to take place outside of Cleveland as well.
"I want to be in Cleveland," Ward said. "I want to win. I’m definitely keeping an eye on what Myles has going on and what he's doing. I’m just interested in seeing how everything plays out. Like I said, I want to play with Myles Garrett, and we’ve just got to wait and see."
Garrett alone would cost another team a pretty penny, likely a first round pick and more. Now, if Ward is looking to see what happens with Garrett in the coming weeks and base his decision on where he might be headed, it would be interesting to see if the two could be packaged together to increase the return for the Browns.
USA Today
Steelers left tackle Dan Moore Jr. battles against Browns star Myles Garrett.
Traded away separately, together, it doesn't really matter as long as both of them get out of the AFC North if you're a Steelers fan. That is all that really should matter to the Steelers' organization too in the long run, as both players have given the Steelers headaches throughout the years.
Steelers Could Benefit From Ward And Garrett Leaving The AFC North In More Ways Than One
Not only do the Steelers become immediate beneficiaries from the Browns sending Garrett and/or Ward away via trade, they also could become beneficiaries down the line by being able to add talent to their roster at a discounted price. Ward specifically plays a position that the Steelers should be heavily interested in improving this offseason, and if Ward goes to another team with similar interests, it takes one suitor off the table in free agency this offseason.
There aren't many top tier cornerbacks that hit the market, so taking any potential destinations off the table by their need being filled by a trade for Ward would be helpful. If the Steelers were to manage to pull off signing a cornerback of the caliber of DJ Reed or Charvarius Ward, and the Browns happen to trade Ward before that happens, it is likely the Steelers managed to benefit from it by paying a cheaper price or landing the player all together.
Do you think the Browns will end up trading Ward away? Will Ward request a trade? Let us know your thoughts below!
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