Colts Add Pro Bowl Cornerback Charvarius Ward
INDIANAPOLIS – Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is going to have some accomplished new secondary toys at his disposal in 2025.
On Monday, reports had the Colts agreeing to terms on a 3-year, $60 million deal with new cornerback Charvarius Ward.
The Pro Bowl cornerback arrives to the Colts after spending his NFL career time with the Chiefs and 49ers.
Secondary was always going to be a big focus for the Colts this offseason, and it needed to be.
With Anarumo, the Colts are poised to play more coverages on the back end, and likely uptick their blitzing.
If/when that is the case, upgrades in the secondary were needed after running it back with that group in 2024.
A knee injury did sideline Ward, who turns 29 in May, for some time last season. Injuries with any corner at that age is a fair question to bring up.
But Ward didn’t miss a game in 2022 or 2023. And was an All-Pro for the 49ers in ’23, leading the entire NFL in passes defensed.
Tragically, Ward lost his daughter, Amani, in October of last year, just prior to her 2nd birthday, which kept him away from the team for 3 games.
The 6-1 Ward allows for the Colts to have a 3-person cornerback trio with Kenny Moore II and Jaylon Jones. And doesn’t force the need of JuJu Brents to be in the lineup.
With the Monday additions of Cam Bynum (age 26) and Ward (age 28), the Colts will certainly enter the draft not needing to target the secondary need with an early pick.
It is also two defenders who have experiencing winning, especially Ward, at a much higher level than the Colts have in recent years.
Chris Ballard promised change back in January. And that is certainly playing out in a start to free agency like we haven’t seen in his tenure.
