The Indianapolis Colts weren't sure how cornerback Charvarius Ward would approach this offseason. He had suffered three concussions this past season and might have been contemplating retirement. Indy signing veteran Cam Taylor-Britt in free agency doesn't truly help the situation.
According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, Indy is expected to bring in the former Cincinnati Bengals player, though details of the new deal were not yet known. Taylor-Britt played under defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo when Anarumo was the defensive coordinator for Cincy. He knows what the Colts are getting with the corner.
The issue is that Indianapolis had other needs, such as inside linebacker and edge rusher. The Colts, as long as Ward returns, which is what general manager Chris Ballard expects, are flush at corner. Besides Ward, the team also has Kenny Moore in the slot and Sauce Gardner opposite Ward.
Indianapolis Colts signing Cam Taylor-Britt, but what does that mean about Charvarius Ward?
2025 rookie Justin Walley flashed potential last preseason until he got hurt, but he should return for 2026. Taylor-Britt, who was a full-time starter in 203 and 2024, doesn't appear to have a home, so why would he sign with the Colts?
He did suffer a Lisfranc injury this past season, so maybe teams were concerned about his long-term health. He also had an off-field issue last September for reckless driving, but one would not think that would keep potential suitors from trying to sign him.
Maybe he didn't have many teams wanting to sign him, and a move to a team with his former defensive coordinator made sense. Taylor-Britt's quarterback rating allowed wasn't bad in 2023 (78.0) and wasn't completely awful in 2024 (98.0) when he started all 17 games. He also had seven interceptions combined between those two seasons.
In 2025, after Anarumo joined Indianapolis, the cornerback was atrocious before getting hurt. His QBR allowed was 134.1, and he allowed four touchdown passes in eight games. Should he get much playing time for the Indianapolis Colts, he will need to be better.
And that's exactly the worry. Why would Indy sign the cornerback if the team didn't project him to be anything but a backup? Maybe he is security in case Charvarius Ward really does want to retire. That would be a worst-case scenario, of course, but what would make it even worse is if Cam Taylor-Britt played like he did this past season.