T.J. Ward - Pro Football Rumors

NFC Rumors: Pryor, Eagles, Ward, Trubisky

September 6th, 2017 at 1:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Terrelle Pryor already confessed his camp might have misjudged the market when he ended up signing a one-year deal with the Redskins. The wideout’s back in a contract year but said Wednesday other teams presented multiyear offers.

“A lot of teams … I got four or five offers from four or five teams for four or five-year deals for a lot of money, but it wasn’t where I thought I needed to be,” Pryor said, via Matt Lombardo of NJ.com. “At the end of the day, I wanted to really show I can do it, dominate at it again, and really just set myself up to have a home for four or five years, that way I can sign somewhere for four or five years instead of always moving around.”

Evidently hoping this one-year agreement can be a pathway to more lucrative long-term proposals, the 28-year-old Pryor also revealed he was negotiating with the Eagles prior to his Redskins pact. Pryor said he “believed” the Eagles were one of the teams pursuing him before something “in house” changed. This could allude to Alshon Jeffery signing a one-year deal on the same day Pryor agreed to his Washington contract. The Eagles were connected to just about every UFA wideout of note this offseason, and Pryor’s comments back up a March report of five teams being interested in signing him.

Here’s the latest from the NFC as 15 of its teams make preparations for their Week 1 games.

The one NFC franchise that won’t play this weekend has a new safety that now has an extra week to acclimate to Mike Smith‘s system, and details of T.J. Ward‘s contract continue to emerge. Ward will earn $3MM guaranteed on his one-year deal with the Buccaneers, tweets Mike Klis of 9News. The veteran safety’s contract has a base value of $3.875MM, and offers the chance for an extra $1MM via incentives. Ward, of course, signed with Tampa Bay less than 24 hours after being released by Denver, a move that led the Buccaneers to trade fellow defensive back J.J. Wilcox to the Steelers.
While this is not exactly a surprise, Mitch Trubisky will ascend to second on the Bears‘ depth chart for Chicago’s Week 1 tilt. The rookie quarterback usurped Mark Sanchez and will back up Mike Glennon on Sunday, John Fox said (via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune, on Twitter). Of this rookie class, only DeShone Kizer will receive an opening day start. Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, C.J. Beathard and Nathan Peterman join Trubisky in being second-stringers entering their first NFL seasons.
Dontari Poe‘s latest weight check-in, which is today, will secure the Falcons defensive tackle $125K, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Poe earned the $125K by coming in under 330 pounds in late July. The pre-regular-season weight ceiling remains the same.
No offset language existed in Alex Boone‘s Vikings contract, Joel Corry of CBS Sports notes (on Twitter), so Minnesota will be stuck with $3.5MM in dead money on this year’s cap. Terms of Boone’s Cardinals deal are not yet disclosed, but it won’t go toward helping the Vikings offset dead money remaining on the four-year, $26.8MM contract they authorized for Boone last year.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this report.

West Notes: Ward, Donald, Hawks, Schofield

September 4th, 2017 at 8:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

John Elway spoke with T.J. Ward‘s agent earlier this summer and informed him the team did not intend to sign the veteran safety to an extension, with the GM telling media (including Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post) a Ward re-up was not in the team’s plans “at that point of time.” The Broncos made Ward one of the highest-profile cuts of the roster-slashing weekend, but Jhabvala reports the team did not come to a decision on Ward until last week. The rise of second-year safeties Justin Simmons and Will Parks, along with Ward’s injury history, played a role in the departure.

Citing a lack of clarity during the process, Ward on Monday called the Broncos “completely unprofessional” regarding the separation. The divorce came with one season remaining on the 30-year-old defender’s four-year contract. The eighth-year safety will earn up to $5MM with the Buccaneers this season. Ward missed all of Denver’s preseason games with a hamstring injury and missed six games due to injury in three Broncos campaigns — two of which producing Pro Bowls. Mike Klis of 9News described the process as Simmons — a 2016 third-round pick who served as Denver’s third safety last season — Wally Pipp’ing Ward (Twitter link). Klis notes Elway gave Ward “every chance” to make this year’s team.

Here’s the latest from the West divisions, shifting to Seattle, which just made the biggest trade in a week full of them.

The injury to rookie Malik McDowell prompted the Seahawks to trade for Sheldon Richardson, Pete Carroll said, via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta (on Twitter). Currently on the NFI list, McDowell does not have a timetable for a return, Condotta adds (via Twitter). Carroll said the team could still look to add another defensive tackle (Twitter link, via Condotta).
Richardson will play the three-technique position in the Seahawks’ 4-3 scheme, the fifth-year defensive lineman said Monday (via Condotta, on Twitter). He will line up inside of Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril, giving the Seahawks one of the most talented defensive fronts in football. Richardson primarily played 3-4 defensive end with the Jets but also saw time at outside linebacker. He played 4-3 defensive tackle at the University of Missouri, though.
Aaron Donald remains a holdout as the Rams begin their Week 1 preparations, but Sean McVay won’t impose a deadline on how late the All-Pro defensive lineman can report to the team and still play Sunday, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports. Rams reps flew to Atlanta to meet with Donald, but the sides reportedly aren’t close to a deal. Gonzalez adds McVay nonetheless remains “optimistic” about a solution.
A two-position starter for the Broncos during the past two seasons, Michael Schofield attracted widespread interest on the waiver wire. The Chargers won out due to their position in the waiver hierarchy, but the Lions, Redskins, Vikings and Saints also put in claims on the fourth-year guard/tackle, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. A 2014 third-rounder, Schofield started for the Broncos at right tackle during their Super Bowl season and lined up at right guard throughout 2016. While Denver didn’t sport particularly effective O-lines during those seasons, Schofield clearly has believers out there.
Speaking of waivers, the Seahawks hoped they’d have a chance to stash wide receiver Kasen Williams on their practice squad, Carroll said (via Condotta, on Twitter), but the Browns swooped in with a claim. The Seahawks will move on without Williams and Jermaine Kearse, traded to the Jets in the Richardson deal. Paul Richardson and Tyler Lockett are now Seattle’s top complementary wideouts, and Lockett (per Condotta, on Twitter) is expected to play in Week 1 after breaking his fibula late last season.

Buccaneers To Sign T.J. Ward

September 3rd, 2017 at 8:15am CST by Rory Parks

The Buccaneers will sign the newly-released T.J. Ward, as James Palmer of NFL.com tweets. It’s a one-year, $4MM deal that includes a maximum value of $5MM, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Ward started 41 games over three seasons in Denver after inking a four-year deal with the club prior to the 2014 season. Last season, he made 14 appearances, totaling one interception and one sack while ranking as the NFL’s No. 48 safety, per Pro Football Focus. Ward’s 75.9 grade was the worst mark of his career, and the Broncos felt it was better to move on and get a little salary cap relief in the process.

Per Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Ward drew interest from seven teams and had serious talks with three. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Steelers had some degree of interest, but they were not serious contenders for his services.

Tampa Bay has already done a fair amount of tinkering at the safety position this offseason. The Bucs re-signed Chris Conte, signed free agent J.J. Wilcox from the Cowboys, and drafted Justin Evans in the second round. But signing Ward will help solidify the defensive backfield, and as Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times writes, Ward will push either Conte or Keith Tandy to the bench, and Wilcox and Evans will see their potential playing time take a hit as a result.

John Spytek, the Bucs’ director of player personnel and GM Jason Licht‘s right-hand man, was Cleveland’s director of college scouting when the Browns drafted Ward in 2010, and he spent two years as a scout with the Broncos when Ward played in Denver. That connection almost certainly played a role in Ward’s decision, along with the fact that Tampa Bay is a potential playoff team.

Extra Points: Broncos, Ward, Dorsett

September 2nd, 2017 at 5:16pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos did not discuss a pay cut with safety T.J. Ward before releasing him on Saturday, Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post tweets. “It was a football decision,” a team source tells her, adding that the motivation was to give more playing time to Justin Simmons and Will Parks. Meanwhile, Broncos players are upset about losing Ward and his locker room presence, James Palmer of NFL.com tweets.

While Ward searches for a new home, here’s more from around the NFL:

The Colts had offers for Phillip Dorsett from other teams, but those proposed swaps involved draft choices instead of netting a young player at a positional need, Mike Lombardi of The Ringer tweets. Lombardi doesn’t name teams, but Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link) says the 49ers, Jets and Cardinals were among the teams that showed preliminary interest in him.
The Jets are expected to be interested in running back Travaris Cadet now that he has been released by New Orleans, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets. The Jets showed interest in Cadet during free agency but ultimately lost out.
T.J. McDonald‘s new deal with the Dolphins has built in protections for the team that will override his guarantees if he has another suspension issue, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald tweets. The pact includes $10MM in “guarantees,” but McDonald can’t slip up if he wants to collect on all of it.
Wide receiver Victor Cruz says that he got a “clean bill of health” on his MRI this week, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. He’s now a free agent after being released by Chicago.
Chiefs GM Brett Veach says veteran running back C.J. Spiller could still end up on the Chiefs’ roster (Twitter link via BJ Kissel of Chiefs.com). Spiller was among the Chiefs’ mass cuts on Saturday as they trimmed down to 53.

Broncos To Release T.J. Ward

September 2nd, 2017 at 10:37am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Broncos will release safety T.J. Ward, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Denver had been expected to cut Ward if it couldn’t find a trade partner.

Ward, 30, had been entering the final year of his contract, which would’ve paid him $4.5MM in base salary. While none of that total was guaranteed, the Broncos will still absorb $1.25MM in dead money as a result of Ward’s signing bonus proration accelerating onto their salary cap.

Ward started 41 games over three seasons in Denver after inking a four-year deal with the club prior to the 2014 season. Last season, he made 14 appearances, totaling one interception and one sack while ranking as the NFL’s No. 48 safety, per Pro Football Focus. Ward’s 75.9 grade was the worst mark of his career.

With Ward out of the picture, the Broncos will turn to Justin Simmons to start at safety opposite Darian Stewart. Simmons was a third-round pick in 2016 and made three starts during his rookie campaign.

Broncos To Cut Ward If They Can’t Trade Him

August 31st, 2017 at 3:05pm CST by Zachary Links

One way or another, the Broncos are about to show T.J. Ward the door. If the Broncos can’t find a suitable trade for the safety by Saturday afternoon’s roster deadline, they’re expected to release him outright, Mike Klis of 9News hears.

By cutting Ward, the Broncos would take themselves off the hook for his non-guaranteed $4.5MM salary. If Ward’s salary comes off the books, the Broncos may redirect that money towards extensions for kicker Brandon McManus and linebacker Todd Davis, Klis writes.

The Broncos can afford to keep Ward, but they would prefer to give a starting opportunity to sophomore Justin Simmons after his strong showing this summer. While Simmons has soared, Ward has been sidelined with a nagging hamstring injury throughout the preseason.

Releasing Ward could allow the Broncos to keep undrafted rookie safety Jamal Carter, a favorite of Vance Joseph & Co.

AFC Notes: Ward, Landry, Flacco, Bengals

August 29th, 2017 at 6:58pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Although Broncos head coach Vance Joseph told reporters Tuesday that he “would be surprised” if they traded safety T.J. Ward, his time on their roster is running out, Mike Klis of 9News suggests. Whether the Broncos trade or release Ward, their safety depth makes him expendable, Klis argues. Moving on from Ward would mean jettisoning someone whose reckless style has led to injury issues, as Klis points out that he missed seven games over the previous three years and hasn’t played any preseason games this summer on account of a hamstring strain. While Klis notes that Ward remains a quality player, he nonetheless expects the Broncos to make the difficult decision of parting with a defender who has made two Pro Bowls and started in all 41 of his games during his three-year tenure with the club. Despite Ward’s accomplished resume, both his age (30) and salary ($4.5MM) torpedo his trade value, Klis contends. If the Broncos end up having to cut Ward, they’d avoid paying him any of the $4.5MM he’s owed.

Broncos Have Discussed T.J. Ward Trade

August 29th, 2017 at 12:38pm CST by Zachary Links

The trade market is heating up. The Broncos have received calls on safety T.J. Ward and have had trade conversations about him, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link) reports Denver is actually initiating the trade talks on Ward (instead of waiting for other teams to contact them).

It’s not immediately clear which teams have called on Ward, but it stands to reason that multiple contenders have expressed interest. Ward, 30, holds appeal as a two-time Pro Bowler on an expiring contract, though his $5.7MM cap number is a bit on the high side. Ward graded out as just the No. 50 safety among 90 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus, so he may not be the elite player he once was.

Back in May, Ward expressed interest in finishing his career in Denver and the two sides reportedly had preliminary talks about an extension. We haven’t heard much on that front over the last three months, so those conversations appear to be on the back burner.

Other notable players reportedly on the trade block include Jets running back Matt Forte, Browns cornerback Joe Haden, and Browns offensive lineman Cameron Erving. A significant trade also went down on Tuesday morning as the Niners shipped tight end Vance McDonald to the Steelers.

Broncos, T.J. Ward Talking Extension

May 26th, 2017 at 12:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Broncos have engaged in “preliminary” contract negotiations with safety T.J. Ward, according to Troy Renck of Denver7. Ward is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2018.

“I would love to finish my career here,” said Ward. “I’d like to see something get done. They have done that in the past with guys. I think I have proven myself. But if they think I need to show more, then I will just have to keep proving it to them.”

Ward, 30, originally joined the Broncos in 2014 after signing a four-year, $22.5MM deal. That pact has proven to be a bargain, as Ward has been among the league’s best safeties during that stretch. After earning Pro Bowl berths in 2014 and 2015, however, Ward posted something of a down season last year, as he graded as just the No. 50 safety among 90 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.

Denver has been proactive in locking up its secondary, as cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Chris Harris, plus safety Darian Stewart, are all under contract through at least the 2019 campaign. Nickel back Bradley Roby, meanwhile, is signed through 2018 after the Broncos exercised his fifth-year option.

Broncos Make Cuts, Down To 53 Players

September 5th, 2015 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Broncos have officially announced the series of roster moves that reduces their roster to 53 players. In addition to confirming the previously-reported cuts of tight ends Dominique Jones and Marcel Jensen, along with the release of Tony Carter, the club announced 19 other moves.

Montee Ball‘s name was not mentioned among those moves, so the young running back, who was considered to be on the roster bubble, remains a Bronco for now. Here are the players who are no longer on Denver’s active roster, per a team release:

Released:

NT Sione Fua

Waived:

ILB Zaire Anderson
ILB Lamin Barrow
RB Kapri Bibbs
WR Isaiah Burse
C Dillon Day
S Josh Furman
G Ben Garland
ILB Steven Johnson
WR Corbin Louks
NT Chuka Ndulue
CB Taurean Nixon
OLB Gerald Rivers
T Kyle Roberts
T Charles Sweeton
WR Jordan Taylor
DE Josh Watson

Reserve/suspended:

S T.J. Ward
DE Derek Wolfe