Browns rookie safety T.J. Ward learned a lot and showed a lot in his first preseason game in Green Bay.
It's taken just one exhibition game for Browns rookie safety T.J. Ward to figure out a priority in learning his craft in the NFL. "From here on out, I'm going to wrap up more," he said Monday. "That's what preseason's for, to get those things out of your system."BEREA, Ohio -- Most rookies say the speed of the action is what surprises them most in their first NFL game.
That's not what struck T.J. Ward. The rookie safety is a hitter first. He was more surprised by the size of his opponents.
The particular collision that drove it home was near the Green Bay goal line at the start of the second quarter. John Kuhn, a 250-pound backup fullback, took the ball at the 2, bounced off linebacker Scott Fujita and then off Ward for the Packers' second touchdown.
Ward was giving up 50 pounds in that confrontation, but it's a play he expects to make. Has to make.
"I just didn't wrap him. I tried to thud him, but I should have wrapped up. He kind of slipped off me and rolled into the end zone," Ward said.
"Thudding" is what the Browns do every day in practice instead of tackling to avoid injury. Defenders are instructed to deliver one thud and let up. Nobody tackles much in practice anymore.
"It's something I can learn from, definitely," Ward said. "There's a couple plays where I just tried to thud guys. They're pretty bigger than I thought.
"From here on out, I'm going to wrap up more. That's what preseason's for, to get those things out of your system."
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.
Saturday victory in Green Bay was a learning experience for both T.J. Ward (left) and Joe Haden, but both had strong moments against the Packers.Coach Eric Mangini said the key to the play was rookie cornerback Joe Haden showing blitz too early, affirming to Rodgers that Jennings was singled up on a rookie safety. It wasn't a fair matchup, but Mangini was pleased with Ward's coverage. Rodgers laid the ball in perfectly from 25 yards out.
"I feel if I would've looked back or played his hand a little sooner, I could have made a play. But it was just a great catch by him," Ward said. "Sometimes when you're out of position, or out of phase as we say, you don't look back because soon as you do the ball floats right over your head, so that's what I was thinking. But in hindsight, I had time to look back, but I just chose not to."
Another lesson learned. But Ward showed everyone, particularly his coaches and teammates, that the game was not too big for him. He broke in against one of the elite passing offenses and more than held his own. He led everyone with nine total tackles.
"It's kind of funny because I never was really nervous until I got on the field before the first kickoff," he said. "Then I kind of remembered I've been doing this my whole life. After that first kickoff I settled down and felt comfortable out there.
"It kind of was a necessity," he said of making the tackle on his first play. "I wanted to do it, but it was just playing the game."
The Browns prioritized tackling and hitting in their secondary in the draft when they took Haden first and Ward second. After missing on Tennessee safety Eric Berry, who went No. 5 overall, the Browns passed on Earl Thomas and Taylor Mays, safeties with higher profiles than Ward.
"He was one of those guys that really had a lot of big hits, was a good tackler, and you could see the aggressiveness in practice, though we're not hitting here," Mangini said.
Ward can fill the role of Don Rogers or Eric Turner, former Browns safeties who intimidated with big hits.
"I just want to be a physical safety who can cover and that teams fear," Ward said. "[A big hit] definitely gets the team fired up. It kind of changes the pace of a game. It gets everybody pumped up and kind of lowers the morale of the offense, especially for wide receivers and quarterbacks because next time they're going to think, 'Should I throw it and try to squeeze it in there?' or 'Should I run this route with him standing there?'"
Last year, Mangini chafed at the sight of "guys running free, fair-catching passes in the end zone." The Browns were among the worst teams in allowing yards after catch.
"They should get what they've earned through the completion, but it shouldn't be more than that," he said.
On his third defensive series, Ward delivered a textbook example of what Mangini wants.
Facing third-and-6, Rodgers fired to favorite receiver Donald Driver right off the line of scrimmage. Ward was there in flash. He picked Driver off his feet and tossed him down.
No gain.
Punt.
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