Horseshoe Huddle

Colts Beat Out NFC Team 'Last Minute' for Charvarius Ward

It was revealed that the Indianapolis Colts almost missed the chance to sign Charvarius Ward.

Drake Wally

Dec 17, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward (7) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Dec 17, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward (7) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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When the Indianapolis Colts signed Charvarius Ward, it was apparent that they were no longer messing around with stiffing the squad on outside talent.

However, the deal was almost non-existent, as Ward revealed on The Ride with JMV, the New Orleans Saints were close to bringing him to the NFC South.

James Boyd of The Athletic posted on X a prominent quote from Ward on the show:

“Originally, I thought I was going to New Orleans. The deal was almost done. Then the Colts, I guess they realized how great of a player I am, and they came in and kind of beat out the at the last minute.”

The Saints were so close to getting Ward that he thought he was heading there but Indy had a better offer to land the former Second Team All-Pro cornerback. For Indy's sake, it's an accomplishment to nab a player like Ward, especially with how much interest he garnered league-wide.

Ward immediately improves Lou Anarumo's defense and joins a formerly depleted cornerback room with Jaylon Jones, Kenny Moore II, Samuel Womack III, and JuJu Brents.

The biggest question is if Ward can return to his 2023 form where he tallied a Pro Bowl, the aforementioned Second Team All-Pro, 72 tackles, five interceptions, one defensive touchdown, and a league-leading 23 passes defended.

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The Colts added safety Camryn Bynum to join Ward in the defensive secondary, and cornerback Corey Ballentine. This is the injection of talent needed to elevate the defense from a tough 2024.

Not to say the stop troops didn't have their moments last year, but the secondary especially was inconsistent and looked lost at times. They allowed lower-tier opponents plenty of points, often propelling the offensive through the air.

The Colts almost missed out on Ward but beat out the Saints for a true game-changer at cornerback. Luckily, general manager Chris Ballard seems to have changed his tone on shifting the Colts' roster instead of playing the 'rinse and repeat' method of bringing back the same depth chart.

The 17-17 record in Shane Steichen's first two seasons is a microcosm of how things have gone for the Colts. Last year Indianapolis tended to take out the lesser teams but struggled against better performing squads, the signing of Ward and others hopefully quells that for Steichen's staff and team.

The Colts have been as active as ever in free agency and might continue to dip into new deals to shore up depth on the roster. It might be the conclusion of splash additions, but having solid rotational players and backups is how teams win in the NFL.

It will be something to watch as free agency nears the beginning of the second week. Perhaps the Colts aren't done just yet with shelling out the money to improve the team.

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Drake Wally
DRAKE WALLY

Drake Wally covers the Indianapolis Colts at Horseshoe Huddle and co-hosts the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast.  

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