3 former Denver Broncos who should make a Tebow-like comeback
3. T.J “Boss” Ward…as a running back
Like aforementioned Aqib Talib, former Denver Broncos safety T.J Ward was also a member of in my opinion. the best secondary in the NFL’s steep history, the No Fly Zone.
Again, when it came to physicality, Ward was never shy. Albeit he wasn’t the best in pass coverage, Ward was the enforcer of this defense. Talib brought the scrap, Ward brought the wrap. By that, I mean Talib would get scrappy, get things heated, Ward would finish it.
On any defense, and more specifically secondaries, there are always players who shy away from hitting, then there are players like T.J Ward. He literally looked to hit and wanted to knock people around.
As an aggressor, Ward had the potential to be a running back in the mold of a Maurice Jones-Drew. He’d bring the low running, leverage type of running that cornerbacks would have had nightmares about.
One thing I learned from my prior playing days, the low man wins. Trying to get up under the chin of a running back who gets lower than you might end up getting you taken for a ride.
Standing 5-foot-10, and 200 pounds, Ward would have been the prototypical size for an NFL running back. In every game Ward played in, he was a tone-setter. While Ward ran a 4.5 40 yard dash, having a running back who searched for contact is always beneficial.
Finesse is great, but I’ve always been a believer in physicality, setting tones, and that “dog” mentality. T.J Ward would have made some cornerbacks have some bad days!