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.
