The Good and Not So Good About the 49ers' Signing Charvarius Ward
The 49ers filled a big need at cornerback Monday night.
They signed former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward to a three-year $42 million deal ($14 million per season on average) with $26.7 million guaranteed, according to ESPN.
Here's what I think of the signing:
THE GOOD
He's young -- still only 25-years old -- he's big for a cornerback (6'1", 195 lbs.), he has long arms, he's a good tackler and he's good in man-to-man coverage. He fits the 49ers' cornerback profile perfectly. He essentially is a bigger Emmanuel Moseley, who will start opposite Ward. Both are former undrafted free agents who are good No. 2 cornerbacks.
THE NOT SO GOOD
Ineffective in zone coverage. Can't play in the slot. Four picks in four career seasons. This signing shows the 49ers haven't learned from their mistakes. Last season, the 49ers defense ranked fifth in sacks but just 26th in interceptions precisely because the front office doesn't acquire defensive backs with ball skills. Doesn't value ball skills. With all the resources the 49ers pour into their defensive line, they should rank much higher in interceptions. And they should want to intercept passes, because interceptions are turnovers and turnovers win games. Last season, the 49ers started Josh Norman for 14 games mostly because he forced 7 fumbles. Unfortunately for the 49ers, he had to give up a catch before he could try to force the fumble. Better to just intercept the pass. That's why the 49ers should have signed J.C. Jackson, who has 25 interceptions in four seasons, but they let the Chargers sign him to a five-year deal worth $16.5 million annually. Which means he's not much more expensive than Ward. The 49ers should have signed Jackson instead.
Now, the 49ers have to sign a strong safety who's a playmaker, otherwise they'll have zero in their secondary. I suggest they sign Tyrann Mathieu, but he won't won't be cheap.
