Cleveland Browns Gregg Williams to Denzel Ward: No 'stupid' tackling

Now that Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward doesn't appear to have a major back injury, his defensive coordinator says he knows one way to avoid future injuries, and it involves not being "stupid" in how he makes tackles.

Cleveland defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said of Ward, "Maybe he'll finally listen to me and stop doing those stupid things the way he's trying to tackle and tackle the way I tell him to tackle and he won't get hurt. I think this was a good enough shock that maybe he thinks that I might know what I'm talking about."

Ward was diagnosed with back spasms resulting from a hit he made on Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz in the first quarter of a preseason game on Thursday. Ertz outweighs Ward by some 60 pounds.

Ward, whom the Browns drafted fourth overall out of Ohio State this year, left the game after that play and did not return. An MRI revealed no structural damage to his back.

Williams said he is "not worried as much about the wrap-up part of it as it is about getting the guy to the ground. What you do is you cut the guy. He should have cut the guy that time right there instead of a 290-pound man running over his face."

The Browns play their final preseason game on Thursday at Detroit, and they open the regular season at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 9.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)