Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid intimated that rookie cornerback Charvarius Ward would be given more playing time going forward.
On Sunday night, the Kansas City Chiefs played a couple rookies for the very first time in the secondary. Tremon Smith, the team’s sixth-round pick, and Charvarius Ward, an undrafted free agent, were both given a chance to start on the inside and outside, respectively, as the Chiefs dealt with myriad injuries coming into their Sunday night contest against the Seattle Seahawks.
The results weren’t always pretty, and the Chiefs would certainly love to change the final results of their loss in primetime, but head coach Andy Reid spoke highly of the play of Ward in particular after the game. In fact, Ward might find himself as the receiving end of more playing time heading into the final week of the regular season and beyond.
Reid spoke to reporters on Monday and discussed what he saw when looking at the team’s performance in film review:
"I went back, had a chance to look at the tape on it, and I thought our young corner did a decent job at times there and there will be some things he can learn. But he was in position to make plays. Now we’ve just got to hone that up a little bit. That I thought was a positive coming out and something where we can continue to get better with more experience."
Ward came to the Chiefs in a preseason deal with the Dallas Cowboys just before the regular season began. The Chiefs grabbed the rookie free agent in exchange for interior offensive lineman Parker Ehinger, who was placed on injured reserve just one week later after suffering an unfortunate knee injury. Ward has largely starred on special teams all season with very limited snaps on defense—that is, until Week 16.
Ward was expected to start on the inside for the Chiefs in relief of Orlando Scandrick, but when Kendall Fuller wasn’t able to go against the Seahawks, Ward was rotated for outside starter’s reps and Smith was given the start inside. Given Fuller’s ability to likely come back in Week 17, Reid is likely thinking about giving Ward “more experience” on the inside.
If the Chiefs can find some internal help at cornerback, it will go a long, long way toward making the defense that much more respectable, especially as Eric Berry also makes his way back to full health and game readiness.