TJ Ward (1 Viewer)

[Horses]

Is TJ Ward the real deal or did he just get lucky in 2 games?

 

[jpeace121]

Was just about to post this myself. I wonder if/how much Jackson will eat into his tackle totals once he is healthy?

 

[gregjcross]

Is TJ Ward the real deal or did he just get lucky in 2 games?

He is real. Expect 8 per game not 11. Unrelated fact: Ward went to same high school as DJ Williams, Amani Toomer - Delasalle in Nor Cal. His little brother Terron was state high school player of the year for California last year, cat quick 5'7 RB. headed to Oregon State

 

[Alex P Keaton]

It helps that he plays on a terrible team.....so when the opponent runs the ball constantly, TJ Ward is an 8th man in the box.

 

[johnnyboy8102]

I dropped Weddle and picked up Ward.

I will roll with Chung, Ward, Landry (Wash), and Branch at DB.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

It helps that he plays on a terrible team.....so when the opponent runs the ball constantly, TJ Ward is an 8th man in the box.

T.J. Ward is the real deal based on his talent and it had been noted a month ago.Link to thread when T.J. Ward was first pimped as the 'real deal'

Aug 19 2010, 11:06 AM

Sounding IDP sleeper alert on Browns safety T.J. Ward.

He's the real deal folks.

Someone has already posted a YouTube highlight video and he's only played three quarters of one preseason game.

Check it out:

T.J. Ward highlight video

Smatters of flatterings from multiple writers covering the team. Go to links for full stories.

T.J. Ward story

QUOTE

The Browns have not had a safety so fierce he makes receivers peek over their shoulders since Eric Turner was a rookie playing for Bill Belichick 15 years ago.

That might be changing if what happened Saturday night in Green Bay is a true indication of what to expect from rookie T.J. Ward.

Ward did not play a perfect game; he was in the picture frame of each of the Packers first two touchdowns. But he did enough things right that general manager Tom Heckert Jr. had to be smiling from his cushy seat in Lambeau Field, for it was Heckert who went against the advice of draft analysts and chose Ward with the sixth pick in the second round in April.

Ward’s signature play from the Browns’ 27-24 victory over the Packers was made with 9:37 left in the second quarter and the Browns leading, 21-14.

Aaron Rodgers, who had already completed 11 of 12 passes, made it an even dozen connections on pass No. 13 when he looked to his right and snapped off a quick pass to Donald Driver on third-and-six.

Ward slammed into Driver and planted him on the Lambeau sod before Driver made a move. It was fourth-and-six, the Packers had to punt and, mercifully for the Browns, Rodgers was done for the night....

Another Ward story

QUOTE

Cleveland Browns' T.J. Ward promises to be a quick learner after NFL debut vs. Packers

Published: Monday, August 16, 2010, 7:06 PM Updated: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 7:52 AM

... Ward was all over the field in his NFL preseason debut Saturday night at Lambeau Field. He made the tackle on the Browns' first two kickoffs. On his first extended defensive series, he made tackles on three plays in a row. At the end of that series, Ward was beat on a perfect touchdown throw by Aaron Rodgers to veteran 1,000-yard receiver Greg Jennings.

...

Yet another Ward story

QUOTE

Cleveland Browns Preseason: Rookie Safety T.J. Ward Turning Heads

In Cleveland’s first preseason game, the talk of the town wasn’t about first round selection Joe Haden, nor was the theme centered around hopeful future signal-caller Colt McCoy.

The rookie who stole the show was T.J. Ward.

Playing three quarters in his first action as a member of the Cleveland Browns, T.J. Ward racked up seven tackles, two special teams tackles, and a QB hurry.

He displayed great open-field tackling with the ability to close quickly on the ball carrier. Cleveland Browns analyst Reggie Rucker is even quoted as saying, “The guy is like a cobra. He attacks anything that moves.” ...

... Ignoring the pre-draft rankings, Cleveland stood pat and decided to draft the player they really wanted…much to the chagrin of most Browns fans...

The thing that stands out with Ward is that he not only plays up in the box but that he ATTACKS the edge life few safeties in the NFL can do.

The Browns secondary play of the safties is a true cover-2 where the safeties split the field so their isn't a SS/FS designation but it easily seems to me that the plan is to use T.J. Ward to attack the edge moreso than Abe Elam who lacks that sort of speed/explosion that Ward has so I consider him a legit short and long term IDP rookie DB sleeper.

Get him cheap while you can.

After two weeks he's tied at third in the entire NFL in tackles and second in solo tackles and he has a forced fumble.The Browns have only given up two touchdowns in two weeks and one of those TDs was a two yard drive off of a bad INT from Delhomme.

The Browns carried leads going into halftime in both games but costly turnovers, both INTs by the QBs and fumbles by the RBs (3 over the first two games) and poor play calling on offense and a QB change due to injury, have meant two losses by a combined five points.

The Browns are not a 'terrible team' on defense, they are playing well defensively.

T.J. Ward has speed and explosion off of the edge and fills the box and he's a head hunter.

He is the real deal.

 

[JoeSteeler]

IDP stud

 

[spavogt]

if you had to choose between roman harper and ward, who would you favor?

 

[reevers]

I dropped Weddle and picked up Ward. I will roll with Chung, Ward, Landry (Wash), and Branch at DB.

With the exception of Branch, i have the exact same lineup for my DB's!! They're the TOP-3 Safeties in my league after 2 weeks!

 

[Bracie Smathers]

if you had to choose between roman harper and ward, who would you favor?

If its me I would go with Ward for a few reasons.Roman Harper is a solid IDP player. I look at what a guy has done recently and what he did last year but since Ward is a rookie we only have what he's done to date to see what he might do in the future.Harper is solid but last year he didn't have an interception and only forced two fumbles and he only had one double digit solo tackle performance and only three double digit total tackle games, along with those numbers from last year he only had five passes defensed.His tackle numbers are pretty consistent but last year he only had three games where his total tackles reached double digits and he only had one game where his solo tackles hit ten (double digits) he had zero games where his solo tackles reached 8 or 9. Since he only had one huge solo tackle game (10 solos in the ninth game against Carolina last year and never went above 7 in any other games last year) its safe to expect no higher than 7 solo tackles. Also he only hit 7 solo tackles twice and fell more in the 4 to six solo tackle region. Consistent but not a high ceiling.This year he already has one game with 7 solo tackles (4 solos in the first game) with one interception and one forced fumble. Last year he had zero interceptions and only two forced fumbles and his average solo tackle production was consistently in the 4-6 range so he probably is at a high point for interceptions and forced fumbles but right in the 4-6 solo tackle range.Good production and consistent but you know his ceiling.Lets take a look at T.J. Ward's numbers thru the first two games.First game 8 solo tackles plus 3 assists and chip in a forced fumble Second game 10 solo tackles plus 1 assist.In his first two games T.J. Ward has already matched the high water mark of Roman Harper's best solo tackle game from last year and he has only played two games but with combined solo and assist tackles reaching double digits each game. Add he already has forced a fumble to equal half of the forced fumbles that Harper had last year and I think its safe to say that the ceiling that T.J. Ward provides is higher than Roman Harper and he hasn't hit it yet.I'll add that I think Ward will get utilized on some blitzes during the season and I think he'll manage a few sacks by the end of the year but as I've stated in other threads I don't anticipate many interceptions and I think its possible that T.J. might get dinged or wear down during the season since his style is very high contact.I'd still go with Ward since I think he'll average higher points and he has a higher ceiling than Harper but that is just how I view it.

 

[Larry Thomas]

QUOTE (spavogt @ Sep 21 2010, 11:49 AM)

if you had to choose between roman harper and ward, who would you favor?

I’m a huge TJ Ward fan, targeted him in every draft, and was fortunate enough to land him in all. Cleveland should see more tackle opportunities for sure, after two weeks Browns are averaging nine more per game than the Saints. Be interesting to see his tackle numbers after D’Qwell returns, one would think we will see a slight dip, we’ll see.

Harper is in his prime. He’s a smart (Coach’s son), instinctive player, that knows the defense very well.

Really like both these guys, wts because Cleveland should see more tackle opportunities, rolling the dice with Ward is not a bad bet.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

It helps that he plays on a terrible team.....so when the opponent runs the ball constantly, TJ Ward is an 8th man in the box.

T.J. Ward is the real deal based on his talent and it had been noted a month ago.Link to thread when T.J. Ward was first pimped as the 'real deal'

Aug 19 2010, 11:06 AM

Sounding IDP sleeper alert on Browns safety T.J. Ward.

He's the real deal folks.

Someone has already posted a YouTube highlight video and he's only played three quarters of one preseason game.

Check it out:

T.J. Ward highlight video

Smatters of flatterings from multiple writers covering the team. Go to links for full stories.

T.J. Ward story

QUOTE

The Browns have not had a safety so fierce he makes receivers peek over their shoulders since Eric Turner was a rookie playing for Bill Belichick 15 years ago.

That might be changing if what happened Saturday night in Green Bay is a true indication of what to expect from rookie T.J. Ward.

Ward did not play a perfect game; he was in the picture frame of each of the Packers first two touchdowns. But he did enough things right that general manager Tom Heckert Jr. had to be smiling from his cushy seat in Lambeau Field, for it was Heckert who went against the advice of draft analysts and chose Ward with the sixth pick in the second round in April.

Ward’s signature play from the Browns’ 27-24 victory over the Packers was made with 9:37 left in the second quarter and the Browns leading, 21-14.

Aaron Rodgers, who had already completed 11 of 12 passes, made it an even dozen connections on pass No. 13 when he looked to his right and snapped off a quick pass to Donald Driver on third-and-six.

Ward slammed into Driver and planted him on the Lambeau sod before Driver made a move. It was fourth-and-six, the Packers had to punt and, mercifully for the Browns, Rodgers was done for the night....

Another Ward story

QUOTE

Cleveland Browns' T.J. Ward promises to be a quick learner after NFL debut vs. Packers

Published: Monday, August 16, 2010, 7:06 PM Updated: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 7:52 AM

... Ward was all over the field in his NFL preseason debut Saturday night at Lambeau Field. He made the tackle on the Browns' first two kickoffs. On his first extended defensive series, he made tackles on three plays in a row. At the end of that series, Ward was beat on a perfect touchdown throw by Aaron Rodgers to veteran 1,000-yard receiver Greg Jennings.

...

Yet another Ward story

QUOTE

Cleveland Browns Preseason: Rookie Safety T.J. Ward Turning Heads

In Cleveland’s first preseason game, the talk of the town wasn’t about first round selection Joe Haden, nor was the theme centered around hopeful future signal-caller Colt McCoy.

The rookie who stole the show was T.J. Ward.

Playing three quarters in his first action as a member of the Cleveland Browns, T.J. Ward racked up seven tackles, two special teams tackles, and a QB hurry.

He displayed great open-field tackling with the ability to close quickly on the ball carrier. Cleveland Browns analyst Reggie Rucker is even quoted as saying, “The guy is like a cobra. He attacks anything that moves.” ...

... Ignoring the pre-draft rankings, Cleveland stood pat and decided to draft the player they really wanted…much to the chagrin of most Browns fans...

The thing that stands out with Ward is that he not only plays up in the box but that he ATTACKS the edge life few safeties in the NFL can do.

The Browns secondary play of the safties is a true cover-2 where the safeties split the field so their isn't a SS/FS designation but it easily seems to me that the plan is to use T.J. Ward to attack the edge moreso than Abe Elam who lacks that sort of speed/explosion that Ward has so I consider him a legit short and long term IDP rookie DB sleeper.

Get him cheap while you can.

After two weeks he's tied at third in the entire NFL in tackles and second in solo tackles and he has a forced fumble.The Browns have only given up two touchdowns in two weeks and one of those TDs was a two yard drive off of a bad INT from Delhomme.

The Browns carried leads going into halftime in both games but costly turnovers, both INTs by the QBs and fumbles by the RBs (3 over the first two games) and poor play calling on offense and a QB change due to injury, have meant two losses by a combined five points.

The Browns are not a 'terrible team' on defense, they are playing well defensively.

T.J. Ward has speed and explosion off of the edge and fills the box and he's a head hunter.

He is the real deal.

Bracie - it appears that you misunderstood my comment. I didn't intend it to denigrate Ward, but rather as additional upside for Ward. I don't expect Cleveland to win a lot of games this year. When they are losing at the end of games, and the opponent is running out the clock, Ward will get a bunch of tackles. This happened in the opening game vs KC this year -- Ward had modest stats until the 4th quarter, then he went wild.I tried to draft him this year, ended up having to trade for him before the season started. He's a gamer, very glad to have him rostered (and in my starting lineup since week 1, so I obviously believe in him too!)

 

[Drop]

Interesting that he is a De La Salle guy. Great pedigree, probably pretty tough mentally.

The few times that I saw him in preseason he appeared a little lost in 1 on 1 coverage deep. He wasn't getting his head around when the ball was in the air and he went with a faceguard approach. Fundamentally that was really the only thing that I saw as a problem with his game.

 

[Mr. Know-It-All]

I dropped Weddle and picked up Ward. I will roll with Chung, Ward, Landry (Wash), and Branch at DB.

With the exception of Branch, i have the exact same lineup for my DB's!! They're the TOP-3 Safeties in my league after 2 weeks!

Dang lot of similarity...I have Bell, Chung, D Landry...and picked up Ward last night with my waiver 1 priority.When D Landry is my worst DB, I am feeling pretty solid.