Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: Biggest winners & losers from the 2018 NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 26: A video board displays an image of Mike McGlinchey of Notre Dame after he was picked #9 overall by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 26: A video board displays an image of Mike McGlinchey of Notre Dame after he was picked #9 overall by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – OCTOBER 22: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys is pushed out of bounds by Jimmie Ward #25 of the San Francisco 49ers 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: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys is pushed out of bounds by Jimmie Ward #25 of the San Francisco 49ers during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on October 22, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Loser: Defensive Back Jimmie Ward

Safety/cornerback Jimmie Ward’s status entering 2018 was already precarious, especially after landing on season-ending injured reserve for the third time in four years last season.

Fellow safety Jaquiski Tartt’s two-year extension, combined with the ascendance from 2017 rookie Adrian Colbert, doesn’t bode well for Ward beyond this year.

Neither does San Francisco’s selection of Southern Miss defensive back Tarvarius Moore.

Moore ran a 4.32 40-yard dash time at his pro day, and the Niners may look to that speed to take over a starting/depth role at free safety — putting that rangy ability to use as the defense’s single-high defensive back in coordinator Robert Saleh’s Cover 3 defense.

With Ward hitting a contract year this season, he might not even get adequate playing time at his natural position to convince other teams to spend big money on him in 2019.