When the Cleveland Browns lost safety T.J. Ward to the Denver Broncos this offseason, it appeared to be a blow to a defense that is looking to get as good as it can get in 2014. But while to outsiders it looked like the Browns lost Ward to a Super Bowl contender, the tables couldn’t have been turned anymore than they were.
According to Ward, who spoke with Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns never really wanted him back and the new regime that was brought in never reached out to him about re-signing.
Per the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
"“The guys that they brought in, the coaches, that whole new genre, they didn’t bring me in. I was surprised, but that the same time, I wasn’t. You know how it goes. Anything can happen at anytime. Guys come and go, get signed, released, it’s the nature of the business. I was trying to prepare myself and tell myself don’t be surprised, just roll with the punches…”"
This is sort of surprising but not to a great extent. The Browns are clearly moving in a new direction and they found Ward’s replacement in safety Donte Whitner from San Francisco.
Still, Ward was the best player on the Browns roster in 2013 and to not even entertain the idea of bringing him back further shows how focused Cleveland is on the new direction their headed.