Colts sign CB Charvarius Ward to 3 year, $60M contract

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

Colts continue to spend to upgrade their secondary:


https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/1899213676512469294

Former 49ers CB Charvarius Ward reached agreement on a three-year deal worth up to $60 million including $35 million guaranteed and a $20 million signing bonus with the Indianapolis Colts.

Deal negotiated by Kevin Conner and Robert Brown of UniSports Mgmt

[apballin]

Ballard is cooking!!!

[Hoopsdoc]

I mean, he’s at least a year late but at least he’s learning.

[Kray007]

I mean, he’s at least a year late but at least he’s learning.

Last year’s crop of DB’s was incredibly weak. It made sense to pass and take a good look at guys like Jones and Brents, Cross and Blackmon. These signings, combined with a good draft and a high quality insurance policy to backup Richardson might well shove this club over the top and into the playoffs. How deep a run the make is anyone’s guess.

[IndyNorm]

Damn. Not complaining in the least, but it's like Bizarro Ballard has taken over.

[Dewey 5]

Damn. Not complaining in the least, but it's like Bizarro Ballard has taken over.

His end of the year convo with Irsay probably wasn't pleasant.

[Racehorse]

His end of the year convo with Irsay probably wasn't pleasant.

I have a theory that Irsay has loosened the purse strings in an effort to get another SB before he passes. I think he has held back the spending, and realized playing scared is not going to get one.

[rm1369]

I have a theory that Irsay has loosened the purse strings in an effort to get another SB before he passes. I think he has held back the spending, and realized playing scared is not going to get one.

Yes, of course Ballard and his well stated philosophy have nothing to do with it. It’s all Irsay. I swear the man is Teflon with many Colts fans.

The reality is this is Ballard’s last gasp at keeping his job. His way failed, miserably and the fan base has been trending towards apathy.

[ChaosTheory]

Yes, of course Ballard and his well stated philosophy have nothing to do with it. It’s all Irsay. I swear the man is Teflon with many Colts fans.

The reality is this is Ballard’s last gasp at keeping his job. His way failed, miserably and the fan base has been trending towards apathy.

If AR throws < 50% and we get out-TOP'd 2:1 game after game... This way will fail, too.

[Dewey 5]

Yes, of course Ballard and his well stated philosophy have nothing to do with it. It’s all Irsay. I swear the man is Teflon with many Colts fans.

The reality is this is Ballard’s last gasp at keeping his job. His way failed, miserably and the fan base has been trending towards apathy.

As much shit as I give Ballard I think it's a two way street.

[apballin]

If AR throws < 50% and we get out-TOP'd 2:1 game after game... This way will fail, too.

Can’t win going 3 and out, 3 and out, turnover

Doesn’t matter who you have on defense or who the coordinator is

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

More contract details:

https://x.com/JoelAErickson/status/1899828217118109870

Charvarius Ward

Signing bonus: $20M
Guarantee: $34.98M

2025
Base: $2M (Gtd)
Per-game roster bonus: $30K

2026
Base: $12.98M ($5M fully gtd at signing, rest fully gtd if on roster 5th day of '26)
Per-game roster bonus: $30K

2027
Base: $17.49M
Per-game roster bonus: $30K

Up to $2M in incentives per year



The contract has also been updated on Spotrac if you prefer to view it there:

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/player/_/id/25525/charvarius-ward

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

https://x.com/JoelAErickson/status/1900247742879871328

Charvarius Ward: "I felt like (the Colts) were the most aggressive team"

https://x.com/JoelAErickson/status/1900249689213047142

Ward acknowledges that everything that happened last year to him left him drained mentally throughout the season. "Mentally, I was in Texas with my family, but physically, I was in Santa Clara." For his mind, Ward knew he needed to get out of SF

https://x.com/JoelAErickson/status/1900250557845299202

Ward says Anarumo plans to have him travel with the opponent's best WR.

[Colts And Orioles]

o


In his most recent full season in 2023, Ward led the NFL in Passes Defended (23), and had a career-high 5 INT's.

In 2024 he only played in 12 games, and he may have been playing partially injured in some of them (he had hamstring and knee issues, which caused him to miss 5 games overall.)



Overall, he's had an unexpectedly solid career for an undrafted player who played 2 seasons at Hinds Community College and 2 seasons at lightly-regarded Middle Tennessee State.

o

[Dam8610]

o


In his most recent full season in 2023, Ward led the NFL in Passes Defended (23), and had a career-high 5 INT's.

In 2024 he only played in 12 games, and he may have been playing partially injured in some of them (he had hamstring and knee issues, which caused him to miss 5 games overall.)



Overall, he's had an unexpectedly solid career for an undrafted player who played 2 seasons at Hinds Community College and 2 seasons at lightly-regarded Middle Tennessee State.

o

In addition to injury issues, Ward also dealt with the passing of his 1 year old daughter, which he said took his mental focus off the game. I feel like Ward is one of the 2 CBs that was available that had CB1 and All-Pro potential (the other being Paulson Adebo), and given everything that happened to Ward last season, positive regression should be expected, and it's reasonable to hope for massive positive regression.