'Won't Be a Surprise' If Chiefs Reunite With Former Starter After 3-Year Hiatus

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Could the Kansas City Chiefs reunite with former starting cornerback Charvarius Ward in NFL free agency?

It’s been a devastating year off the field for former Kansas City Chiefs starting cornerback Charvarius Ward, who is set to hit the open market once again after leaving KC to sign with the San Francisco 49ers three offseasons ago.

Ward announced the passing of his one-year-old daughter, Amani Joy, on October 29, 2024. Since then, he’s hinted that he’s unlikely to re-sign with the Niners, simply because flying back to California throughout the season reminds him and his significant other of the tragedy and loss that his family was forced to endure.

In other words, Ward and his family could use a change of scenery after three years out west, and Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox believes a Chiefs reunion could be one of the more likely outcomes.

“It won’t be a surprise if the Chiefs consider bringing back Ward,” Knox wrote on February 17. “Though their defense was mostly terrific in 2024, it fell flat against the [Philadelphia] Eagles in Super Bowl LIX—and Kansas City is no stranger to adding familiar faces if they can help the team.”

The NFL writer did note that when it comes to the Chiefs re-signing Ward, the “biggest obstacle for Kansas City will be its limited cap flexibility.”

Ward originally left KC for a major payday, earning a total of $40.9 million over his three years in San Francisco. It’s unclear exactly how much he’ll fetch this spring, but Ward’s consistency should keep him near the top of the cornerback market in terms of salary.

Knox listed Ward as a top eight free agent in 2025, just behind fellow veteran CB D.J. Reed.

Charvarius Ward Made a Name for Himself With Chiefs, Transforming From UDFA Cast-off Into Super Bowl Champion Starter

Although Ward began his NFL career as an undrafted prospect of the Dallas Cowboys, he really made a name for himself in Kansas City after being traded to the Chiefs just after his rookie training camp.

From there, it didn’t take long for Ward to thrive inside Steve Spagnuolo’s system in 2019 — his second season in KC. Ward started 19 games that season if you include the playoffs, logging 2 interceptions, 10 pass defenses and 1 forced fumble.

After the championship run in 2019, Ward was a consistent Chiefs starter for another two years when healthy — and KC has had mixed results replacing him since.

Charvarius Ward’s Return Would Round out Chiefs’ Promising but Inconsistent CB Core

When discussing a Ward reunion, the key question is whether or not the Chiefs truly need the veteran cornerback considering his pricey cap hit.

In one sense, Kansas City won two Super Bowls without Ward, who put together a Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro campaign with the 49ers in 2023. In another, Spagnuolo’s defense has struggled to find the ideal starting CB on the outside opposite Trent McDuffie — who has actually been proven to be much better manning the slot — and it’s shown against top-tier competition.

Let’s say the Chiefs prioritized cornerback in free agency, bringing back Ward. In this scenario, it’d make sense for KC to cut Joshua Williams for cap relief and roll with McDuffie, Ward and either Jaylen Watson or Chamarri Conner (depending on if McDuffie is playing outside or in the slot) as their starting trio in 2025.

That would give them a really strong top four inside the secondary, with someone like Nazeeh Johnson or veteran Keith Taylor on the roster for depth.

Michael Obermuller covers the NFL and NHL for Heavy.com, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus include the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins, as well as the New York Rangers and New York Islanders. An NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate, his previous bylines include FanDuel’s The Duel, King Fantasy Sports and Pro Football Mania. More about Michael Obermuller