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San Francisco 49ers: 2017 midterm positional grades after Week 8

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 22: C.J. Beathard #3 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a four-yard touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on October 22, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 22: C.J. Beathard #3 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a four-yard touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on October 22, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 17: Tight end Jimmy Graham #88 of the Seattle Seahawks drops the ball while being tackled by safety Jaquiski Tartt #29 of the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on September 17, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 17: Tight end Jimmy Graham #88 of the Seattle Seahawks drops the ball while being tackled by safety Jaquiski Tartt #29 of the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on September 17, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /

Safety

The 49ers have had some bad luck at safety this season, especially after losing starting free safety Jimmie Ward to a potential season-ending broken arm in Week 8.

Ward, who already missed a game to start the year, could be replaced for the long run by either rookie Adrian Colbert or converted linebacker Eric Reid, depending on how defensive coordinator Robert Saleh views the fits.

One position that is locked down, however, is the strong safety spot Reid lost after his knee injury in Week 2. That job has gone to Jaquiski Tartt, who ranks second on the team with 35 tackles.

What the 49ers Are Doing Well

Tartt could make Reid, a pending free agent, expendable after this season. Tartt’s 86.0 Pro Football Focus grade this season ranks 12th among all qualifiers and less than a point behind Seattle Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor.

Needless to say, Tartt has done well his third year at the pro level.

What Needs Improvement

Before getting hurt, Ward’s 46.9 overall PFF grade ranked 70th among 110 qualifiers, suggesting the Niners were particularly vulnerable towards the back end of their defense.

Reid, who played free safety from 2013 through 2016, might be the best short-term answer, as far as coverage goes, although we’ll see if that’s the move Saleh would like to make. If Colbert is the choice, expect San Francisco to have some rookie coverage mistakes.

Oh, and this unit has generated just one interception over the course of the season. Turnovers would drastically help San Francisco moving forward.

Grade: C-