According to Ian Rapoport, free agent S T.J. Ward plans to move on from the Buccaneers and should have a “strong market” this offseason, given that the safety position isn’t considered all that deep this year.
Ward, 31, is a former second-round pick of the Browns back in 2010. He played out his rookie contract with the Browns before signing a four-year, $22.5 million contract that included $13.5 million guaranteed with the Broncos in 2014.
Ward was entering the final year of his contract and set to make a base salary of $4.5 million for the 2017 season when the Broncos cut him loose at the start of last season. The Buccaneers later signed him to a one-year, $5 million contract.
Ward will be an unrestricted free agent in the coming weeks.
In 2017, Ward appeared in 12 games and recorded 43 tackles, no interceptions, a fumble recovery and three pass defenses for the Buccaneers. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 58 safety out of 189 qualifying players.
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