One of the most underrated players on the 49ers is cornerback Charvarius Ward. Each week, he covers the opponent's no. 1 receiver and shuts him down. And yet he never has been an All Pro.
Each week, he covers the opponent's no. 1 receiver and shuts him down. And yet he never has been an All Pro. But according to Pro Football Focus, he's the third-best cornerback in the NFL behind Sauce Gardner and Trent McDuffie.
"Ward seems to get lost in the debate when it comes to naming the best cornerbacks in the NFL, but he’s quietly put up the third-best coverage grade over the past two years ,". "Perhaps it’s the overall strength of the 49ers team, the number of other superstars who overshadow him or the fact he plays on the West Coast, but Ward deserves more praise as one of the league's best corners — he has locked down receivers in coverage since arriving in the Bay Area.
In 2023, the strength of the 49ers' defense largely was Ward, considering Talanoa Hufanga tore his ACL, their pass rush ranked 20th in sack percentage and their run defense ranked 14th in yards per carry allowed. And yet, they still gave up the third-fewest points in the league partially because Ward is a shutdown corner who can shadow the opponent's best receiver all around the formation.
Ward is scheduled to be a free agent next year and the 49ers haven't yet offered him an extension. If they were shrewd, they'd extend him right now, because his price tag will increase dramatically if he has another elite season in 2024.Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011.
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