T.J. Ward Hoping to Clear the Air With Bengals WR Jordan Shipley

Rookie safety T.J. Ward plans to talk to Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jordan Shipley before Sunday’s game regarding Ward’s hit back in October that gave Shipley a concussion.

Ward was fined $15,000 for the hit after putting his shoulder into Shipley’s head, who was defenseless at the time. It certainly looked bad, but I believe Ward when he says that he had no intention of hurting Shipley to that degree. Naturally, Bengals players wanted to call it a cheap shot, but it’s just another case of a football hit being in that gray area where it’s hard to make a real determination, so you’re left either defending your own player or blaming the other side.

Either way, Browns fans should be pretty pleased to finally have a defensive playmaker on their side.