The Kansas City Chiefs wanted cornerback Charvarius Ward to return this offseason. They just couldn't match what teams like the San Francisco 49ers were ready to offer the now-26-year-old defensive back. So if Ward couldn't go back to the Chiefs, the team that gave him a chance as an undrafted free agent in 2018, he knew he wanted to go to a contender—and, of course, make a lot of money in the process.
"They (the Chiefs) didn't have the bag," Ward told reporters after Thursday's practice. "So that's probably what it was."
The 49ers handed Ward the bag, signing him to a three-year deal worth up to $40.5 million. The cornerback only had four years under his belt. He won a Super Bowl—against the 49ers—but has never earned Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors. Nevertheless, San Francisco saw something in him that showed he could be the team's top cornerback.
"He's what we hoped he could be like," head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Wednesday. "He's been what we hoped for and what we hoped we were going and paying for. ... And for him to come and be exactly what we thought has been great. But it's always hard to do [pay big money for a corner]. It took us a while to be able to do that, but when you do take a swing, you hope you hit, and I really feel like we have."
The 49ers' recent success was appealing to Ward. With the Chiefs, he got used to playing deep into the playoffs. San Francisco has done the same in two of the last three seasons.
"I wanted to come to a winning team," Ward shared. "And I feel like they value me here, so I feel like it was a perfect fit, and it's been a good fit so far."
Opposing quarterbacks own a passer rating of 69.7 when targeting Ward. He is Pro Football Focus' highest-graded player among cornerbacks with at least 172 snaps.
Ward has proven that the CB1 job isn't too big for him. He isn't sure the Chiefs viewed him as someone capable of flourishing in that role. Ward takes pride in being able to prove himself with the 49ers.
Now, he awaits the NFL accolades.
"I want to prove that I'm one of the best corners in the league," Ward admitted. "I'm kind of tired of flying under the radar. I feel like I've got some of the best cover skills in the NFL, and so I feel like I should be a Pro Bowl corner, or maybe an All-Pro corner, if I keep on ballin' this year and doing my thing and putting up good numbers, and we keep winning as a team."
Against the Los Angeles Rams, safety Talanoa Hufanga returned an interception for a touchdown. Against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, cornerback Emmanuel Moseley had a pick-six. Is Ward envious?
"No, I'm not jealous," Ward responded. "My time coming soon. My time coming soon. Believe that."
