NFL free agency is just around the corner and the Pittsburgh Steelers have several holes to fill. One of them being cornerback.
With veterans Donte Jackson and Cameron Sutton hitting the open market, the Steelers could prioritize a new CB2 in free agency — someone to pair with Joey Porter Jr. ESPN NFL staff writer Matt Bowen predicted such a move while outlining the top 50 free agents on February 18, sending veteran cornerback Charvarius Ward to Pittsburgh.
“Ward has the man-coverage ability to press or pedal off the ball, along with the backfield vision to make plays in zone coverage,” Bowen reasoned.
Continuing: “I see him fitting nicely opposite Joey Porter Jr. in a Steelers defensive scheme that played single-high coverage over 50% of the time last season. Over seven pro seasons, Ward has 10 interceptions and 59 pass breakups.”
According to Bowen, Ward is the second-best cornerback on the market in 2025 behind D.J. Reed Jr., and the 10th-ranked free agent overall. He last signed for $40.5 million in 2022, inking a three-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers.
Ward not only earned every penny of that $40.5 million contract, but he also netted another $400,000 in incentives — per Over the Cap.
The soon-to-be 29-year-old CB went to his first Pro Bowl with the Niners, as well as his second Super Bowl. During his first Super Bowl appearance with the Kansas City Chiefs, Ward went home a champion. He’s started 105 NFL games (including playoffs) after beginning his career as an undrafted rookie.
Charvarius Ward’s Consistency Should Attract Steelers in NFL Free Agency
If there’s one thing to love about Ward’s game, it’s the consistency that he’s displayed over his seven-year NFL run.
Since entering the league in 2018, Ward has only received a Pro Football Focus coverage grade lower than 65.0 twice — a 62.9 in 2019 (his first year as the starter) and a 58.2 last season.
There is a potential reason for Ward’s down year in 2024, however. The cornerback suffered a great loss off the field last season, as he announced the death of his one-year-old daughter in October.
The year before was Ward’s strongest campaign in coverage — with an elite 86.5 grade and a 63.7 passer rating against that earned him second-team All-Pro honors — so it’s more likely the off-the-field trauma impacted him than age.
Outside of his coverage ability, Ward has also proven to be a very reliable tackler throughout his career. In four out of his seven seasons, he was graded an 80.0 or higher in this area, and his tackling marks have never dropped below 70.0.
Over the years, Ward has generally been solid as a run defender too. In 119 total NFL appearances, he’s been credited with 116 key defensive stops, which averages out to an impressive 0.975 key defensive stops per game.
Potential Cons of Steelers Signing Charvarius Ward in NFL Free Agency
There are a few weaknesses in Ward’s game that could cause teams to steer clear of him in free agency — outside of his age (29 in May) and potential price tag (Spotrac market value of $15.3 million AAV).
Ward has been penalized quite a bit over the years, which could make for a dangerous Steelers pairing alongside Porter.
In 2024, Porter led all cornerbacks in penalties with 15 regular season flags. The season prior, he was tied for second with 12 regular season penalties.
The player he was tied with in 2023? None other than Charvarius Ward.
On his career, Ward has been flagged 52 times, which averages out to 7.43 penalties per year.
Ward’s durability has also been slightly hit or miss, as a more minor concern. He was only on the field for 12 games in 2024, but he started all 17 in each of his first two seasons with the Niners.
During his four campaigns with the Chiefs, his appearance totals were 13, 16, 14 and 13. So, Ward hasn’t been unreliable in terms of health, but he has missed a few games most seasons.
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