The Denver Broncos built one of the best pass defenses the NFL has seen in many years, and safety T.J. Ward was a big part of that. Ward was a high-profile signing by the Broncos and made two Pro Bowls in his three Denver seasons.

But the NFL moves on fast, and Ward is now a free agent. The Broncos tried to trade him and couldn’t find a partner so they cut him Saturday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Broncos will go younger (and cheaper) with safeties like Justin Simmons and Will Parks.

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Ward, who also made one Pro Bowl during his time with the Cleveland Browns, will be an attractive free agent. He will turn 31 in December but can still play. A team like the Los Angeles Rams, who have former Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, might take a look. Plenty of teams that could use an upgrade at safety will consider bringing in Ward.

Teammate Chris Harris expressed some sorrow over the transaction via Twitter:

Ward will go down as a good signing for the Broncos. He helped Denver win Super Bowl 50 as part of an amazing secondary. But time moves on, and the Broncos no longer had any use for Ward on the wrong side of 30 years old.

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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