Getty Deommodore Lenoir and Charvarius Ward celebrate a fumble recovery on December 15, 2022 in Seattle.
Could a Kansas City Chiefs reunion take place on the San Francisco 49ers involving Charvarius Ward?
Ward, the prized $40.5 million 2022 free agent signing who has since put together a Pro Bowl caliber season, had a former teammate of his trying out for the Niners per the league’s transaction wire on Monday, December 19: Cornerback Devon Key.
Key Was Teammates for Only a Season With Ward
Key entered the NFL out of Western Kentucky as an undrafted free agent in 2021.
Before taking his first league snap, Key already shared one thing in common with his new Chiefs teammate Ward: They both played in Conference USA during their collegiate years.
Key would go on to become one of the more decorated Hilltopper defenders in school history. He went on to deliver 350 tackles in his WKU career — which stands as a record during their time as a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program according to the school website. He additionally delivered back-to-back nine pass breakup seasons in 2018 and 2019. He snatched six career interceptions including three in 2018. Lastly, he earned an ironman status for having played in 49 of 50 games for the Hilltoppers.
One future NFL quarterback he faced in college? The No. 2 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft Zach Wilson. Key told the website NFL Draft Diamonds in a February 8, 2021 interview where Wilson ranks as some of the best players he’s gone against.
“Zach Wilson is easily the best player that I’ve ever played,” Key told NFL Draft Diamonds. “He has a good feel for defenses and we did our best to not show him too much because we knew he was going to find the weakness.”
He went on to sign a UDFA deal with the Chiefs on May 1, 2021. Per Pro Football Focus, Key’s tackling ability was graded at 77 or higher in 2020 and 2021.
New #Chiefs Addition
S Devon Key
• Undrafted FA out of Western Kentucky
• Not on the PFF Big Board
2020
• 75.8 Overall
• 85.5 Tackling
• 85.0 Coverage
2019
• 74.9 Overall
• 78.4 Run Defense
• 77.2 Tackling
• 72.1 Coverage
The 6-foot, 210-pound Key was immediately winning over the Chiefs during his first go round with the team. Andy Reid described him on August 6, 2021 via the Kansas City Star as “Smart, can make the calls on the back end, has enough skill to get off the hash and do some things or out in the middle of the field where he can do some things outside. And good instincts to go with the smarts.”
Key, however, became a practice squad member before eventually being waived on August 30, 2022. He then signed with the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad on November 15, 2022 before being released a week later.
Other Tryouts Include College Teammate of Rising 49ers Rookie
Key was one of three players who worked out in front of the 49ers. One of the other cornerbacks who went through drills has ties to one fast rising 49ers rookie.
Tre Swilling joined in on the tryout list on Monday. The 6-foot-1 cornerback was among five Georgia Tech players who joined the league as UDFAs — including his running back teammate Jordan Mason.
Like Key, Swilling was another who rarely missed action on the field as he played in 40 of 42 games. He went on to deliver 23 passes defensed, two interceptions and 100 career tackles. Swilling has had two NFL stops already with the Tennessee Titans and the New Orleans Saints — the latter team being the place where his father Pat became a fierce pass rusher during the “Dome Patrol” defensive years of the early 90s.
The third member of the tryouts was Scott Nelson. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound strong safety started in 28 of 29 games for Wisconsin — recording 127 career tackles, 11 stops behind the line of scrimmage, 16 pass breakups and four interceptions. Nelson’s first taste of the NFL was through the Seattle Seahawks, who signed him as a UDFA. Nelson, though, was waived on August 30.