Joint practices provide DeVonta Smith and Denzel Ward a chance to trade tips and ‘better our games’
Smith and Ward, who are among the elite at their respective positions, maximized the impact of Wednesday's joint practice between the Eagles and Browns by "talking ball."
In between seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 reps, Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward and Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith huddled together on the sidelines, talking through each other’s games.
“Talking ball, talking releases, talking about what he sees when a guy’s pressed, and just going back and forth,” Ward said. “I’m telling him what I see and just having a great conversation about how we could better our games.”
» READ MORE: Five things we’ll be watching in the Eagles’ two joint practices with the Cleveland Browns
Ward, a four-time Pro Bowler, and Smith, a Super Bowl champion and one of the most decorated college receivers of all time, went up against one another during much of Wednesday’s joint practice. Smith made a few catches in 11-on-11s and earned some yards after the catch, but Jalen Hurts didn’t target Smith downfield on several routes in seven-on-sevens, thanks to good early coverage, and instead spread the ball to other favored targets like Dallas Goedert and Jahan Dotson.
With A.J. Brown still sidelined with a hamstring injury, Smith currently is the Eagles’ top receiving threat in team workouts, and got his first look at external opposition Wednesday.
“[Ward is] a very patient guy,” Smith said. “When you go against guys like [Quinyon Mitchell], and you go against them every day, you’re seeing the same thing. They do their best to switch it up, but they have to stay within the rules of their defense. When you go against somebody different, it just gives you an opportunity to work on different things.”
Both Ward and Smith are unlikely to play much, if at all, in Saturday’s preseason game between the Browns and the Eagles, and the teams won’t face each other in the regular season, so Smith and Ward won’t be seeing each other again this season anyway, unless it’s in the Super Bowl.
But Ward doesn’t mind sharing his knowledge in any case, and he got some right back from Smith.
“I’m an open book,” Ward said. “Once we get out there and play, regardless of whether you know or not, whoever’s the best man wins that day. I’m all about the competition. I’m not one to withhold any information.”