Just Now: Although one Pro Bowl player is being connected to the Detroit Lions, the San Francisco 49ers have their sights set on winning the Lombardi Trophy. Although San Francisco recently defeated Detroit in the NFC Championship, 49ers CB Charvarius Ward’s future is unclear.
Ward will be entering the last year of his three-year contract with San Francisco following the 2024 Super Bowl. In light of this, the staff at Bleacher Report has recommended that the Lions sign Ward in order to strengthen their secondary.
“Defense is where Detroit’s major weaknesses lie. The article from January 29 states, “The Lions could use a premier pass-rusher to complement Aidan Hutchinson as the secondary is still a merely average unit.” “Ideally, Detroit would trade a top player for another player from an opposing NFC team. Both Philadelphia Eagles pass rusher Haason Reddick and cornerback Charvarius Ward of the San Francisco 49ers, who are nearing the conclusion of their contracts, would be excellent additions to the Lions defense.
Although Ward has had a fantastic season with San Francisco, they will soon run out of cap space. If they are confident in Deommodore Lenoir and the other corners, Trading Ward might be a big boost.
Ward’s NFL Season Is the Best Yet
It took Ward five years of good but unspectacular seasons to realize his potential in 2023. Although he was a defensive end with the 49ers, the former standout from Middle Tennessee State obviously improved.
He gave up a QB rating of just 64.5 to the opposition, according to PFR’s advanced stats. With 23, he set a league record for passes defended, forced a fumble, and picked off five interceptions.
Ward made a significant improvement following a mediocre 2022 San Francisco start. Ward caught just one pass that year and blocked eleven others.
The fact that Ward hasn’t played much in the playoffs is the only real worry. In the last two years, Ward has made five appearances, recording four PDs and zero interceptions. It’s not bad at all, really. However, the 49ers may choose to let him go in the future offseason given that, at 27, he’ll likely seek another large deal.
What 49ers Can Trade In
Ward is expected to be eligible for a $15.1 million annual contract from Spotrac after 2024. That makes sense, but the 49ers still have to pay players like S Talanoa Hufanga, WR Brandon Aiyuk, and QB Brock Purdy. Ward might be the exception as not everyone is able to receive compensation.
Besides, there’s only a chance to acquire something for him in March. The league season begins on March 13 and Ward’s guaranteed $12.56 million salary for 2024 is $8.56 million on April 1. San Francisco will need to act quickly if they wish to relocate him.
Lions are a logical choice as a potential partner. They require a corner and have available cap space. Although it’s unclear what kind of deal Detroit would accept, a first-round selection isn’t completely out of the question.
In the event that there are extra selections available on the back end, even a second- or third-round pick might be sufficient. At this point, the goal of a deal should be to maximize Ward’s value while San Francisco still has the opportunity, not to “get rid” of him.
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