It was revealed in March that safety Jimmie Ward turned down more money from another team to remain with the San Francisco 49ers. Familiarity was a significant factor in that decision, said Ward, via a video conference call with reporters on Wednesday.
Ward confirmed that he did indeed turn down more money from another team. What he would not confirm is from which team the other offer came. Although, ESPN reported that the Las Vegas Raiders were believed to be interested.
"I will say this about the Niners: It's just a place that I'm comfortable with," Ward said. "It's the place that drafted me, and they trust in me. I know the guys, built relationships with them. That's one reason why I wanted to stay.
"I saw the money (from another team), but the Niners, they came out with a decent amount of money that I felt comfortable with, and so I just decided to stay."
The 49ers in March signed Ward to a three-year deal worth up to $28.5 million, and the seventh-year safety is looking to make an even bigger impact on defense.
"I'm thinking turnovers," Ward responded when asked what he hopes is the next stage in his development as a defender. "Yes, I'm only getting better. I look back on my career, and I see all the different positions I played, different coaches each year, different playbooks each year. That kind of hurt me, especially not to mention the injuries. That definitely hurt me because any time you're not on the field -- you just can't get better if you're on the sidelines.
"So just by me playing 16 games (13 regular-season games and three playoff games) last year, that got me so much better. On top of that, I feel like I can get a lot more turnovers, the more I get comfortable with it. Then, I've got this new defensive backs coach—Coach Tony (Oden). I like some of his techniques and just some of the stuff that we've been talking about; how I can get more involved, instead of just sitting back there in the post or just covering a guy man-to-man. They're actually going to get me more involved in the defense."
Ward shared that he has spent the offseason taking care of his body, eating healthy, and stretching to avoid future injuries.
"I'm trying to avoid soft-tissue injuries," he added. "Breaking bones, and this and that, hopefully, I stay healthy. That can happen. But soft-tissue injuries? I can avoid that."
