3 days ago
Lou Anarumo on Charvarius Ward, Cam Bynum and Indianapolis Colts' new-look secondary
Lou Anarumo on Charvarius Ward, Cam Bynum and Indianapolis Colts' new-look secondary Lou Anarumo recently highlighted what the additions of Cam Bynum and Charvarius Ward can bring to the Cotls' new-look secondary.
The additions of cornerback Charvarius Ward and safety Cam Bynum to the Indianapolis Colts' defense provide the secondary with proven high-level players as well as flexibility for defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.
Ward is just one year removed from an All-Pro performance in 2023, where he allowed a completion rate of just 54% and came away with five interceptions and a whopping 17 pass breakups, per PFF.
Ward is comfortable covering a variety of wide receiver skill sets and working on an island. Depending on the opponent and what the matchup dictates, Anarumo has said that he is comfortable with having Ward follow the opposing top wide receiver over the course of a game.
"He's been a really good player," said Anarumo of Ward. "A really consistent corner in our league for a long time. He can matchup on the best receivers, he's got length, he guards bigger guys but he's quick enough to handle short, faster guys, and he's a good tackler. He's a full package, for sure."
Bynum brings a ball-hawking presence to the back end of the Colts' defense. This includes tallying seven interceptions and 13 pass breakups over the last three seasons.
Along with that production, his versatility allows for Anarumo to move him around the formation and disguise coverages, which is an important element of this defensive scheme.
"Another guy that's got a bunch of different skill sets that can help us," Anarumo said of Bynum. "He started out as a corner, so he's got some coverage ability. He's always been able to take the ball away. He's been a consistent tackler. He's super smart. He's played in a few systems, so he has a good feel for a little bit of everything, just in terms of not one particular defense."
In addition to what Ward and Bynum bring on the field, both bring winning experience to a Colts team that hasn't made the playoffs since 2020. Bynum has playoff experience from his time in Minnesota, while Ward has appeared in two Super Bowls over his career, winning one of them when he was with Kansas City.
With Bynum and Ward now in the mix, along with having Kenny Moore, Nick Cross, and Jaylon Jones all returning, the Colts have some valuable experience now in their secondary after what had been a relatively inexperienced group in past seasons.
Having that experienced presence could prove to be vital, especially in a defense where the ability to adjust on the fly is a key factor in how Anarumo operates.
"It's great," Anarumo said of the experience on the secondary. "They've seen the fastballs, they've seen the curveballs, it's not like they're going to be starstruck when they get out there. Things are going to change throughout games, and we're going to have to adjust as the game goes along. You always have good plans that you think are going to work well, and then all of a sudden, there's something that you have to adjust to. Having guys like that, veteran guys, just makes it that much easier."
