The veteran, Jimmie Ward, seemed to be penciled in as the starter at free safety this season. But after suffering a broken finger during practices leading up to Sunday's contest, which led to head coach Kyle Shanahan ruling him out for Week 1, the starting duties are getting passed along to second-year pro Tarvarius Moore.
Moore appears to be Shanahan's selection to start at free safety, according to the Sacramento Bee's Chris Biderman:
Moore made the switch from boundary cornerback to safety during OTAs and training camp, following Ward's earlier injury, a broken collarbone. Once Ward returned, it seemed as if Moore would revert back to a reserve role. Although the 49ers gave Moore a massive amount of snaps at safety during the preseason.
San Francisco also has Antone Exum to back up Moore, should the latter suffer an injury or need to be spelled in Tampa. Exum, who started seven games for San Francisco last season, can double at both safety spots.
The 49ers and Buccaneers kick off on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET from Raymond James Stadium.
Written By:
Peter Panacy has been writing about the 49ers since 2011 for outlets like Bleacher Report, Niner Noise, 49ers Webzone, and is occasionally heard as a guest on San Francisco's 95.7 FM The Game and the Niners' flagship station, KNBR 680. Feel free to follow him, or direct any inquiries to his Twitter account.
All articles by Peter Panacy
Peter Panacy
Peter Panacy has been writing about the 49ers since 2011 for outlets like Bleacher Report, Niner Noise, 49ers Webzone, and is occasionally heard as a guest on San Francisco's 95.7 FM The Game and the Niners' flagship station, KNBR 680. Feel free to follow him, or direct any inquiries to his Twitter account.
All articles by Peter Panacy
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers free-agent addition named under-the-radar player poised for major 2026 role
Veteran wide receiver Mike Evans was undoubtedly the San Francisco 49ers' marquee free-agent addition this offseason. However, Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport believes another newcomer could be in line for a significant role in 2026. Davenport recently identified eight... -
49ers' Brandon Aiyuk terminated agreement with agent this weekend
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk insisted he had terminated his standard representation agreement (SRA) with agent Ryan Williams of Athletes First through the NFLPA back in November. According to a new report from Pro Football Talk, however, that wasn't the... -
'We get to hit people in the face': 49ers' George Kittle sends fiery message to division rivals
San Francisco 49ers fans were understandably frustrated watching the Seattle Seahawks capture Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. Seeing a division rival celebrate a championship on your home field is never easy. 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner understands... -
49ers fans take note: NFL insider warns 'the 18-game slate is coming'
San Francisco 49ers fans would undoubtedly welcome another opportunity each season to watch their favorite team take the field. According to one NFL insider, that extra game is likely on the horizon—it's simply a matter of when the league and players can agree on the...