Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard has been quite candid this offseason about adding talent to this roster. He has inferred that free agency could be a bigger factor this offseason, although it remains to be seen if he actually follows through on that.
Ballard has said that the team has been in on high-impact free agents in the past, but that he needs to do a better job of getting the deals across the finish line. This was quite evident last offseason, as the Colts reportedly were interested in both Xavier McKinney and Danielle Hunter before they signed with the Green Bay Packers and the Houston Texans, respectively.
This same situation could play out this offseason with San Francisco 49ers‘ cornerback Charvarius Ward. Ward is one of the top names on the market this offseason and could command upwards of 15-18 million dollars per year if a bidding war ensues. The 28-year-old All-Pro will likely leave the 49ers, leaving room for the Colts to make a move for the playmaker.
It doesn’t take an insider to know that the Colts will be interested in a player like Ward come free agency. The 6’1″ 195 pound cornerback is silky smooth with exceptional long speed, two traits that Lou Anarumo covets in his secondary. Ballard has typically liked to target players from San Francisco, and Ward fits the veteran mold that the team is looking for in free agency.
The biggest issue will ultimately be that price point. Will Ballard finally be able to get over the finish line with a top free agent that fits exactly what the team needs? Again, that remains to be seen. The simple fact of the matter, though, is that Ward is the guy the Colts need this offseason. Even coming off of a down year in San Francisco, he offers way too much upside to ignore.
The Film is Strong
Ward had a tough 2024 season, dealing with an injury early in the year and the worst kind of personal tragedy late in the campaign. His counting stats, understandably, suffered as a result, and he failed to live up to the All-Pro expectation that he set in 2023. Even with that in the background, Ward was far from a bad cornerback last season.
Ward’s film was quite strong in coverage, even on a noticeably weaker 49ers’ defense than in years past. He is a pure technician with great athleticism, and it’s hard not to notice him when watching the 49ers play. Prior to the injury early in the season, he looked just like his All-Pro self from 2023 (albeit dropping a few interceptions that he should have had).
Going back to that 2023 season is a blast, though. Ward finished the year with five interceptions and an absurd 23 pass breakups. For comparison sake, the Colts’ entire cornerback room only broke up 20 passes combined last season. Ward was used as a weapon all over the defense and was a bonafide number one corner on a top tier unit.
The most advantageous aspect of having a player like Ward is how easy it is for a defense to lock him on the backside of a formation in press man coverage. This is especially intriguing for a coach like Anarumo and his diverse, press man system. If teams want to throw unbalanced looks at your defense, having a legit number one corner to lock down the backside is crucial.
The added benefit to a player like Ward is how good he is in soft zone coverage. Anarumo can mix and match this impressive cornerback into multiple coverages and even have him line up on the passing strength side to read and react. His ball skills are top notch, even if he doesn’t always come up with the interception, and is superb at getting his hands in the way of passes over the middle.
Look at these plays below and think about the last time the Colts had this level of cornerback on the outside. Maybe back during that magical Vontae Davis season in 2014?
The Colts Need to Get a Deal Done
Ballard has never been one to be aggressive in free agency. He has tried to take his shots in the past, but has come up just short for several big names that he has pursued (Landon Collins is another name that comes to mind in this regard). With this being (potentially) his last offseason with the Colts, it’s time to get in one last swing for the fences.
Ward is everything the Colts need on defense this offseason. He’s a playmaker with a winning pedigree that has the requisite size and speed to work in Anarumo’s defense. Anarumo’s best years in Cincinnati came when he had veteran defensive backs that could make plays on the ball, so targeting a player like Ward should feel like a necessity this offseason.
If Ballard is ever going to get one of these deals across the finish line in his career, this needs to be the one. The largest free agent deal he’s ever given out in free agency was the two-year, 23-million-dollar deal he gave to Stephon Gilmore in 2022. This shows that he is at least willing to spend at cornerback, but he may need to go even higher to land a talent like Ward.
Overall, we will see if he has the ability to close this deal out. I feel comfortable guessing that the Colts will be very interested in Ward once the tampering period begins, but will it be enough? I guess only time will tell
