John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Last season, Jimmie Ward was being touted by the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff as the team's top cornerback. He figures to be a big component of the 49ers' defensive plans this season as well.
Ward enters this offseason as the team's highest-graded defensive back, according to
Pro Football Focus, and is working on transitioning back to the position he played in college – safety. He also finished the 2015 season as the 49ers' highest-graded defensive back.
The 49ers are transitioning to a single-high safety scheme and Ward is expected to fill that role. He is entering his fourth season with the 49ers and has accumulated 110 tackles, two sacks, 20 passes defended, and two interceptions over his three seasons. The new coaching staff was impressed enough with Ward that
the team picked up his fifth-year option earlier this month. That will keep Ward under contract through the 2018 season.
Why is Ward such a key piece to the 49ers' plans? Matt Barrows of the
Sacramento Bee joined KNBR on Thursday and explained.
"He had played nickel coverage in college and played free safety and played more along the line of scrimmage," Barrows said. "The 49ers used him as a nickel cornerback initially. Then, his second year, he was more of a backup safety and then last year, he was a cornerback. This year, he's going to be a free safety. An Earl Thomas type of free safety. That could end up being the perfect spot for him.
"He's obviously got good coverage skills. He's very instinctual. He's a very good tackler. It may end up being that it fits all the things he's good at. It could be a home run. His issue is staying healthy. And then when you think about that and all the games that he's missed due to an array of injuries, you start to wonder, 'Ok, if they're committed to this defense, what happens if Jimmie Ward misses six games? Who lines up there then?' That's another offseason mystery problem that this team has to solve."
Barrows was asked if Ward can be that type of intimidating safety, much like Thomas from Seattle. What would Ward's role be on the 49ers' new-style defense?
"I think he has that attitude," Barrows said. "I mean, he's not afraid to hit. The question is: At 195 pounds, should he be afraid to hit (and) throw his body around? He's the last line of defense. He's the guy, if you're not a good tackler, then you've got a problem back there because, like I said, if you get past him, there's only a lot of green grass between you and the end zone.
"I think he's a good tackler. He's not the Kam Chancellor guy. He's not the guy who's going to be thumping 255-pound tight ends. They don't want him doing that. But I think he's good to very good at tackling for what he is – a free safety."
Barrows was asked about former 49ers safeties like Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner, who were known as strong hitters on the defense.
"His hammer is not Dashon Goldson's," Barrows said. "It's not Donte Whitner's. But you could make the argument that those two guys weren't awesome in pass coverage either. That they were much better as thumpers than they were as center fielders."
You can
listen to the entire interview on
KNBR.
Like so many other 49ers players, Ward ended the 2016 season on injured reserve following a shoulder injury suffered during a December matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.
With the 2024 NFL Draft just eight days away, the San Francisco 49ers are in the final stages of evaluating draft prospects. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the 49ers are currently hosting USC safety Calen Bullock on a pre-draft visit.
USC @uscfootball safety Calen Bullock visiting #49ers today. Previously All-Pac-12 safety Calen Bullock (4.48 speed, 6-2, 188, nine career interceptions) visited
Steph Sanchez and MLFootball report that the San Francisco 49ers hosted former Georgia safety Javon Bullard on a pre-draft visit yesterday.
🚨EXCLUSIVE: Georgia star safety Javon Bullard had a TOP-30 visit with the San Francisco #49ers yesterday, sources tell @_MLFootball & @Steph49K. Bullard, 21-years-old is a very good athlete and is great in coverage.
ESPN recently conducted a mock draft involving its NFL Nation reporters, where each assumed the general manager role for the team they cover. This unique process benefits from selectors who are intimately aware of each team's needs.
The San Francisco 49ers are expected to address their offensive line with the No. 31 overall pick, marking the team's first first-round selection since 2021. Nick Wagoner, acting as general manager John Lynch, had to adapt his plan based on earlier selections taking several offensive tackles off draft boards.
With those options gone, Wagoner opted for former Missouri pass rusher Darius
With the 2024 NFL Draft less than a week away, ESPN contributors have highlighted some prospects who have seen their draft stock rise throughout the evaluation process. Jordan Reid and Matt Miller pinpointed players who could hear their names called at the end of the first round.
Interestingly, both of the prospects identified by Reid and Miller play in the trenches but on different sides of the ball. The San Francisco 49ers are widely expected to draft an offensive lineman with their first selection—No. 31 overall. The team mostly ignored the group in free agency. However, it wouldn't surprise many people if the
