Down the escalator, tucked in a corner at the downtown Convention Center cafe, T.J. Ward pauses to straighten his glasses and button his dress coat. Since the Broncos’ 2014 season ended with a punch-in-the-windpipe playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Ward hasn’t stopped.
He played in the Pro Bowl, made radio row rounds at the Super Bowl, appeared at the Boulder Film Festival, cut the ribbon at the Denver Auto Show and hung out in the pits with the local Furniture Row Racing team at NASCAR’s Auto Club 400 in Fontana, Calif.
The working title of his offseason: “The Fast and the Curious.”
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“I don’t like sitting at home. I wanted to be in the community, because they support us every Sunday,” Ward said. “I wanted to stay busy. Denver is a great city. It’s been hectic. But I have enjoyed it.”
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Ward likes movement, fingers snapping, e-mails landing with projects. He faces a daunting challenge when the Broncos begin the first phase of their offseason workout program Monday at Dove Valley. The Broncos have lost their sheen — they’re no longer considered favorites to reach the Super Bowl, let alone win it. Peyton Manning remains the epicenter of attention, but the 2015 season, possibly Manning’s last, could hinge on a newfangled defense.
As the Broncos settled on coordinator Wade Phillips, players reserved judgment. Two months later, Ward candidly embraces the schematic change to a 3-4 alignment.
“I still don’t know too much how he will run his defense, but I do know that style and I am very excited about it,” Ward said. “I love the 3-4 way better than the 4-3. I really don’t like the 4-3 at all. It’s too stationary. These are your four down linemen, these are your three linebackers and these are your safeties — and if you blitz, you are going to see it coming a mile away.”
While the Broncos stopped the run last season, setting a franchise record for fewest yards on the ground allowed per game, criticism mounted about the lack of blitzes. Ward became a more versatile weapon late in the season but was asked to play multiple roles, including linebacker in nickel packages.
The Broncos have two cornerbacks — Chris Harris and Aqib Talib — who excel in man-to-man coverage, which should free Ward to function as a true thumping strong safety this season. Beginning Monday, part of the focus will turn to who will start alongside Ward: free-agent acquisition Darian Stewart or promising second-year cornerback Bradley Roby?
On experimenting with Roby as Rahim Moore’s replacement, first-year Broncos coach Gary Kubiak explained: “We’re going to get our best players on the field. Percentage-wise last year, he did not play a whole lot. He played nickel. When we do play base defense against teams that play a lot more base offense, you don’t want him standing there on the sidelines.”
Ward has known Stewart since 2010, when both were drafted. Ward calls him a “tenacious dude who plays fast, likes to hit.” Roby presents an interesting option in the back line. He saved last season’s draft class with his strong performance, intercepting two passes and forcing two fumbles.
“I definitely think he’s capable of playing safety,” Ward said of Roby. “He’s not a little corner. The question is, does he want to? I talked to Roby about it and I was like, ‘Do you want to start or not?’ He has that opportunity. I think Roby will do whatever the team needs him to do. He’s that type of player.”
When Ward signed as a free agent a year ago, he carried championship ambitions. This spring, the free-agent exodus of veterans hasn’t changed his belief, even as odds favor the Patriots and Colts in the AFC.
“I am used to losing teammates, coming from Cleveland. It’s a business,” Ward said. “Losing T-Knight (defensive tackle Terrance Knighton) definitely hurt. He was a captain. We lost other players with leadership qualities, but we have guys who will step up. T-Knight was different because he didn’t hold his tongue with players or coaches.”
Monday will arrive quickly for Ward in his dizzying offseason. He wouldn’t want it any other way.
“I have been able to do a lot of fun stuff,” he said. “The NASCAR (race) was big for me. Being with the pit crew was dope. I could never stay in a car that long for a race, but I’d like to drive one at some point.”
Troy E. Renck: trenck@denverpost.com or
Safety dance
When not working out, Broncos safety T.J. Ward has spent his offseason bouncing from place to place:
• Played in his second consecutive Pro Bowl
• Appeared on radio row during Super Bowl week
• Attended multiple Golden State Warriors games
• Appeared at the Boulder International Film Festival with members of his foundation
• Hung out in the pits with the Denver-based Furniture Row Racing team at NASCAR’s Auto Club 400
• Cut the ribbon at this week’s Denver Auto Show
Troy Renck, The Denver Post
