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The Cleveland Browns were aggressive at the start of free agency to sign SS Donte Whitner, which means they were replacing SS T.J. Ward, who was also a free agent and ended up signing with the Denver Broncos. Ward had the best season of his career against the run last year, but the fact that he took a relatively cheap deal in Denver led some to believe that he was looking to get out of Cleveland to chase a championship.
Ward was a guest on SiriusXM NFL Radio (listen here), where he talked about the opportunity he has with the Denver Broncos.
#Broncos SS @BossWard43: I appreciate everything the #Browns did for me and their fans...but I wanted to go to a place where I could win.
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) March 20, 2014
During the interview, Ward hinted at the fact that the Browns didn't want him back. Later in the day, Ward posted a tweet that seems to insinuate that the Browns never even offered him a deal:
Quotes get misunderstood all the time. Just FYI. Cleveland offered me nothing. Boom! There u have it. #GoBroncos
— T.J. Ward (@BossWard43) March 20, 2014
Unless Ward meant "nothing in terms of money," there's the confirmation that the team preferred a safety who defends well against the pass, compared to one who defends well against the run.