Colts place Charvarius Ward on injured reserve with concussion

• Stephen HolderOct 18, 2025, 04:12 PM ET

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  Stephen joined ESPN in 2022, covering the Indianapolis Colts and NFL at large. Stephen finished first place in column writing in the 2015 Indiana Associated Press Media Editors competition, and he is a previous top-10 winner in explanatory journalism in the Associated Press Sports Editors national contest. He has chronicled the NFL since 2005, covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2005-2013 and the Colts since 2013. He has previously worked for the Miami Herald, Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and The Athletic.

LOS ANGELES — The Indianapolis Colts have placed their top cornerback Charvarius Ward on injured reserve, sidelining him for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers and at least the next three contests.

Ward sustained his second concussion of the season after a violent collision with tight end Drew Ogletree during pregame warmups for the Colts’ Week 6 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Ward was down for a sustained period before regaining his faculties and being helped off the field.

Losing Ward to IR further erodes a secondary that has been plagued by injuries since the preseason. The Colts lost rookie defensive backs Justin Walley and Hunter Wohler to season-ending injuries in the preseason and are still waiting for 2024 starter Jaylon Jones to return from a hamstring injury that has had him on injured reserve since Week 1.

Slot cornerback Kenny Moore II is expected to make his return from an Achilles strain on Sunday, though it isn’t clear how much he’ll play after missing three weeks.