Denver Broncos: John Elway’s top 12 free agent signings

DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 08: Peyton Manning holds the Lombardi Trophy to celebrate the Denver Broncos in win Super Bowl 50 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High before taking on the Carolina Panthers on September 8, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 08: Peyton Manning holds the Lombardi Trophy to celebrate the Denver Broncos in win Super Bowl 50 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High before taking on the Carolina Panthers on September 8, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
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T.J. Ward
SANTA CLARA, CA – FEBRUARY 07: T.J. Ward #43 of the Denver Broncos celebrates after a play in the fourth quarter against the Carolina Panthers during Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium on February 7, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

6. T.J. Ward, S

Contract: Four years, $22.5 million

T.J. Ward signed on first in the Broncos’ famous class of 2014 in free agency, and it was somewhat of a shocker given the price of starting safeties, Ward’s career with the Browns at that point, and the modest price for which he signed.

The Broncos brought in Ward to help be an enforcer on their defense, something they saw they desperately needed after getting blown out in Super Bowl 48.

Ward became exactly that for the Broncos, racking up 224 tackles in 41 career games with the team, along with five sacks, five forced fumbles, three interceptions, and 22 pass breakups.

Ward also had an interception and some huge plays in Super Bowl 50.

His three seasons in Denver were exactly what the Broncos needed. Though his time with the Broncos didn’t end as he or Broncos Country would have liked, Ward was an awesome free agent pickup for the time he was in Denver.

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