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**INDIANAPOLIS** **–** Cornerback swagger.
Charvarius Ward certainly still has that even after a year, on and off the field, to forget.
With Ward thinking he was heading to the New Orleans Saints in free agency, it was the Colts who sweetened their free agency offer, and ultimately won the services of the former All-Pro cornerback.
If you want a glimpse into Ward’s confidence, listen to him describe why the Colts upped their offer.
“Because I’m a great player,” Ward said at his opening press conference as a Colt.
When pressed further _why_ Ward is a “great player,” the corner was ready to go like it was a big 3rd down in the postseason.
“I can press, I can tackle, I can play off, I can travel with the best receivers,” Ward beganI feel like I can do it all as a corner. My game is versatile. I just feel like I’m a CB No. 1 – a great cornerback.”
In 2023, Ward (who prefers to go by the name of “Mooney”) was playing at an All-Pro level.
The 49ers were letting Ward travel with opposing top wideouts for the second straight season, another notch on the belt for the former undrafted free agent.
But 2024 proved to be the ultimate hurdle for Ward.
As the 49ers slogged through an uncharacteristic season, Ward’s own play wasn’t at that level before a horrific off the field event took him away from the team for 3 weeks.
Ward tragically lost his one-year-old daughter, Amani Joy, in late October, due to constant heart issues.
To hear Ward describe last season, going back to San Francisco was never an option.
“I had to get out of San Francisco,” Ward says. “It was PTSD. Physically, I was there (last year), but mentally I was in Texas with my family.”
Around two months removed from the most trying season of his professional career, and perhaps his life, Ward feels rejuvenated when it comes to the game of football.
The Colts are hoping Ward will give them something they’ve hardly had since the early days of Vontae Davis—a blanketing outside cornerback.
If new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo does believe Ward can travel 1-on-1 with opposing wideouts, the likes of Nico Collins or Puka Nacua or DK Metcalf could see that game plan next year from the Colts.
Part of that is why the Colts acted in an abnormal way to increase that Ward offer.
And Ward is adamant he will get back to his old self.
“I felt mentally drained,” Ward says of the 2024 season. “Physically I was on the football field but mentally I was retired. My mind wasn’t on the game because I went through a lot.
“After the season I got that hunger back. I started missing the game. and I was excited for the next opportunity. I’m thankful it was the Colts. I’m ready to show I’m one of the best cornerbacks in the game because the year before that I was All-Pro. I was expecting to come in and be back-to-back All Pro. A lot of bad things happened last year. I’m just hungry and ready to prove myself. I’ve got that chip on my shoulder again.”