Jimmie Ward feels at home playing safety again. He has six more games to prove himself this season before seeking his next contract. The question is whether or not that deal will come from the San Francisco 49ers or another NFL team. If the decision were up to Ward, he'd prefer to remain in San Francisco.
"This is where I got drafted and where I'd like to stay," Ward told Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group on Monday. "But at the same time, there's a business side to this, too."
The 49ers made Ward the No. 30 overall pick out of Northern Illinois in 2014. He is playing this season on an $8.526 million fifth-year option from his rookie deal and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent in March. Injuries have plagued his NFL career, and the 49ers may look to move on.
Ward has a lot to prove in these final games, but the same may be true of everyone with the team.
"It's not just guys in contract situations," head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Wednesday. "It's every single person on our team, every coach on our team, everybody in this building. It's not just a few people. Jimmie's got a lot on the line, and so does everybody else, and Jimmie's been playing like it all year."
Ward has played everywhere in the defensive backfield during his time in San Francisco. He spent this offseason transitioning back to playing cornerback.
"Jimmie did a good job for us at corner," Shanahan continued. "We made the move to safety and been real excited about how he's been playing so far, but it's how you finish."
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has no regrets about trying to move Ward to cornerback during the offseason.
"I stand by what we always talk about with Jimmie being a really good football player," Saleh said. "I always felt like it would be easy for Jimmie to transition back to free safety. Obviously, Adrian Colbert finished very strong (last season). We felt like we were good there. [Richard Sherman], coming off his injury, we wanted to make sure we had a solidified backup for him.
"The way it worked out, I don't regret it. I think Jimmie, wherever we put him, is going to be a good football player. I'm excited for him over these last six games and the opportunity he has to really showcase what he is, and if he can stay healthy, he's going to have a really good offseason."