Truth or Consequences: Charvarius Ward and the Interception That Wasn’t

Truth or Consequences: Charvarius Ward and the Interception That Wasn’t – The last 2 games of the 2018 regular season became the beginning of an NFL career for Charvarius Ward. His first outing left a lot to be desired. In fact, he told a pundit he asked to be taken out of the game and the coach refused. He got a trial by fire in a single game. The next week saw significant improvement and then he started in the two postseason games for the Chiefs.

There was no oddity about Ward being positioned in the right place at the right time to pick off the Tom Brady pass that went off the fingertips of tight end Rob Gronkowski. He was in the right place and he secured the ball and supposedly a Super Bowl birth.

This single play would have created the headline play for his career… and for his emergence as a full blooded NFL Player in 2019, only it was to be denied by a stupid penalty. So be it. So it was put in the books and the season was finished. Poof. The Super Bowl appearance was like Sugar plums dancing before their eyes, banished to their heads and then gone as if they did not exist, ever.

For me, the 5 games that Ward started in 2018/19 were a “proof” (the truth) because aside from his 1st start, Ward could be said not to have looked back. If you take into account the final game played and the failure to reach the Super Bowl, it at least should be deemed that Ward not to have as much distance to travel, as he had partially proved himself the prior year. It is surely the truth as well, that had Ford not fouled up and lined up offsides, that Ward’s Interception would be in the history books, earmarking a play of an emerging talent that demonstrated that Ward belonged in this exclusive club of NFL players who become “Solid” starters… and more. If you think about how small that club is, look at it this way. The number of players in the club are 32 teams multiplied by 3, equalling 96 CBs. That’s a pretty elite bunch of guys who make the NFL and play the game well, or better than that.

In only his 5th start, being in the right place and calmly going about his business tells a truthful tale of Charvarius Ward. He belongs in that exclusive club and hopefully more than that, as we will see. Ward had the moment, came through and beyond that, he played defense at a high level in the postseason, giving up only a 65 Rating to Brady and 30 yards, no scores, 7 tackles and assists and of course, the now infamous “Interception That Wasn’t.”

Fast Forward to 2019 – Training Camp

In public he is saying all the right things, in front of the camera. He has a maturity that you might not expect given the circumstances, but it shows. He also has developed a self-confidence and has built on what Steve Spagnuolo has offered up in building a relationship with his budding Cornerback.

The Ward Metrics

Ward is 6-foot-1, 198 pounds of toughness, with long arms and big hands. He hails from Jackson, Mississippi and played college ball at Middle Tennessee State.

History Notes: As soon as I think of where he played college ball, I think of the Chiefs recruiting players from the school back in the 60s when “The Judge” was plying his trade and the story about how the Chiefs scout, Lloyd Wells, stole WR Otis Taylor out of a hotel window, in Richardson, Texas. Wells had been up at Mid-Tenn to get Nolan Smith signed when he received the phone call from Owner Lamar Hunt suggesting he get hither to Texas and save the day with Otis Taylor which he did. A week or so ago I penned a piece on Wells and told this story of Otis Taylor. Focus if you will on another moment in Chiefs history dealing with MTenn and KC’s History. At the same time, think about Taylor himself, coming from a small school to the big time. Focus on that single play being the earmark play of Super Bowl IV. Think of the image of Taylor taking the ball in the flat, making a double move and taking the Ball to the House sealing the win over the highly touted Minnesota Vikings. Ah. But that was another era. But it let’s you know how important 2019 is for me. I am tired of waiting a lifetime to see the Chiefs win another Super Bowl and become a team of greatness again(It’s happening!).

Is This an “Ah-Ha” Moment and Player?

I think Ward has already proven that this Veach trade was on the positive side of the ledger and from my own judgment, more than that, though it requires a full season of games to be a “proof” for what fans will then accept as “The Truth.” A lot remains to be seen of Mr. Ward who was a Dallas, UDFA and then acquired by Veach in a trade of an offensive lineman, Parker Engher.

For the Chiefs, it was a fortuitous move to get a player to work up for a much needed position. The problem that faced Ward was that like all young unproven players, he was relegated to Special Teams — until Sutton finally relented with his hard headedness where he stuck with players at CB and Safety that were failing and at the behest of HC Reid gave Ward a start in week 16 (along with moving Jordan Lucas who then received significant snaps at Safety).

Undervalued and Under Rated by

Experts, Pundits and Draft Gods

What has been shown to be true is that Ward was about to earn a coveted spot for on the Dallas Cowboys football team as a CB. The problems arose for the Boys that they lost 2 offensive linemen due to injury and now they needed them more than a promising CB who was not even a draftee. That was how the trade came down for Veach (Parker Ehinger was waived by Dallas in April, picked up by the Jags, then waived again after one month, then picked up by the Cards, where he is now).

CB Charvarius Ward was a Godsend, and just as he had for Dallas immediately making noise as a player and for the Chiefs, who sorely needed help. Perhaps not getting drafted and having to prove himself to even get an invite to be around training camp was the real instigator for Wards success. It was tough for him to even get a shot at the NFL to begin with but he did have measurable talent.

At his Pro Day he turned in numbers that would have competed side by side with the top players at the NFL combine. After that, Ward began to get a lot more notice and garnered more attention from NFL Scouts and observers but in the end, it didn’t translate to being drafted.

The numbers weren’t “Great Enough” I guess 

You could see from his collegiate record that he was a very athletic playmaker. His Pro Day numbers were significant. in an interview with Justin Melo of Draft Wire, Ward revealed that,

“… I jumped a 37-inch vertical. My broad jump was over 11 feet. I ran a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash. I hit 12 reps on the bench press. I had a good day at my pro day. Every result was well above average.”

Also at Draft Wire, for Ward’s Profile, Luke Easterling wrote:

“..If you’re looking for a sleeper prospect who is still hovering under the national radar, Ward is your man. A talented cover man with ideal size and length, Ward has all the physical tools to develop into a starter at the next level.”

If you take the interview with Melo and Luke’s assessment and what Ward was able to accomplish as a UDFA Invite to Cowboys for a tryout I think you can see why I became a big proponent of Ward, especially as the miserable 2018 season progressed with some really awful CB Play with Sutton refusing to shift to young players. When Ward became a possibility of the trade with Dallas, it tells me that Veach and the Scouts were aware of Ward’s talent and ability to assimilate the defense of a new team — envision a player who quickly takes to coaching and moves quickly ahead with what he has learned. This tells me that Ward won’t be looking backwards or hearing footsteps. Easterling by the way, had Ward as a Day 3 pick.

That was not to be but to KC’s good fortune, they obtained a steal in the trade to bring Ward to the Kingdom. Craig Stout of ArrowheadPride says of Ward,

“Quite simply, the guy was born to play press-man.”

My bottom line? I firmly believe that Ward’s 2019 will find him becoming a solid NFL player in anybodies book. Personally? I believe he already proved it in 2 playoff game appearances.

At the same time, I think the addition of Marcus Claiborne will be a bit of a challenge to him and he will handle it with aplomb and become a Starting NFL Outside Cornerback in 2019. See Laddie’s article the signing of Morris Claiborne published on Thursday after Claiborne was signed. This is not obtaining Peterson or Ramsey. Morris Claiborne is a low cost addition player added to the Cornerback room that has a very high ceiling. At worst? He will be the #4 CB in the room and that was surely needed by Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.

No, I don’t think Brett Veach is done with his work. I’d count on more if I were a betting man at the “Big Casino.” Brett Veach ain’t done yet.

There. You have my judgement. Ward may not be categorized as Solid… yet. Give me pre-season games and 3 or 4 games this season and I will be watching him closely and can make a pronouncement then.

For now? The Chiefs now have 4 men to go to war with: Fuller, Ward, Breeland and now a 4th CB in Morris Claiborne. I like that move a lot. It could be that the Chiefs CB room just moved up into the top 10. If that is the result, “Wouldn’t it be “Loverly“.

David Bell — ArrowheadOne

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