Six potential landing spots for Charvarius Ward in free agency

Sometimes all a team can do is sit and watch a player reach for all he can. That seems to be the posture for the Kansas City Chiefs when it comes to cornerback Charvarius Ward and his future.

Four years after trading for Ward in a minor preseason deal with the Dallas Cowboys—one that sent offensive lineman Parker Ehinger to Texas for the services of Ward—the Chiefs are now likely in the position of having to be patient with free agency coming soon. Ward has worked and waited for this life-defining moment like this and it’s impossible to blame him if he wants to see it through.

When Ward first arrived in Kansas City, he was a raw corner with some obvious athletic tools out of Middle Tennessee State University. He was tough and physical, but he was also going to require significant reps in order to mold that skill set into something reliable and consistent enough for real snaps. His portal for at least his first year was going to be special teams and nothing more.

Let’s look at some potential landing spots for Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward in free agency as he tests the market for the first time.

These days, Ward is one of the league’s stickiest corners and has climbed the depth chart to become the Chiefs’ most reliable boundary defender. What’s working so well in his favor is his youth (still only 25 years old), which means any team signing him to a long-term deal in free agency should expect him to play just well, if not better, in his next few seasons in the NFL.

So at this point, all the Chiefs can do is wait. Ward deserves this time in this spotlight, this opportunity to be courted by NFL teams hungry for help in the secondary. By all accounts, the Chiefs want him back, but the market price might be high. As we look at who the suitors might be for Ward’s services, these are some likely teams who should drive up the going rate for Ward and hurt any chance the Chiefs might have to match it.