After being embarrassed by the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, the Denver Broncos undertook a major retooling of their defensive personnel.
The Broncos acted aggressively from the start of free agency, landing Ward, cornerback Aqib Talib and pass rusher DeMarcus Ware to contracts that included $59 million in guarantees combined.
Ward hasn’t even met his Broncos teammates, but told USA Today that the “Broncos defense is going to make a statement.”
“I know I can speak for everybody on the defensive side of the ball when I say we’re going to make a statement from point go, from the first preseason game,” Ward told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday, after a workout at EXOS training center.
“From then on, teams can know what they’re up against and know what to expect week-in and week-out. They don’t have to just worry about the offense no more.”
“As good as the Broncos offense was last year, you see what happens when you get put up against a stout defense and an offense that can pretty much manage and make some plays here and there,” said Ward, who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
“We’re sending a message right now that we’re coming in not only trying to be one of the top offenses in the league, but one of the top defenses in the world and get that Super Bowl ring.”
Add Von Miller to the mix and it becomes a dominant defense on paper. We all know that championship are not won on paper, but on the field of play.