49ers training camp 2018: 3 questions yet to be answered
By Chris Wilson
Where will DB Jimmie Ward play?
The San Francisco 49ers’ most expensive defender — defensive back Jimmie Ward — is a player without a position.
By picking up Ward’s fifth-year option, the 49ers will pay Ward $8.5 million in 2018, which incentivizes the team to find a starting position for the versatile defender. Ward — a strong safety in college — started his NFL career as a slot cornerback, before the 49ers moved him to outside corner, and then to free safety last season.
Over his four-year career, Ward has been most productive when lined up on the outside, but the defensive back has the ability to play anywhere in the secondary. Ward’s biggest problem is his inability to stay on the field, as the defender missed significant portions of three seasons, including the majority of 2017:
| Year | Age | Tm | G | GS | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | Fmb | FR | Yds | TD | Sk | Tkl | Ast | AV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 23 | SFO | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| 2015 | 24 | SFO | 16 | 8 | 1 | 29 | 1 | 29 | 6 | 1.0 | 46 | 8 | 3 | |||||
| 2016 | 25 | SFO | 11 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 42 | 10 | 4 |
| 2017 | 26 | SFO | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 0 | 27 | 5 | 2 | |
| Career | 42 | 24 | 2 | 37 | 1 | 29 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 43 | 0 | 2.0 | 134 | 24 | 9 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Last season, Ward’s injury opened the door for seventh-rounder Adrian Colbert, who outplayed Ward at free safety during the rookie’s six starts at the position. The starting free safety job is Colbert’s job to lose in 2018, partially due to his affordable four-year contract.
Ward won’t compete with strong safety Jaquiski Tartt, who signed a two-year extension this April, so he will be forced to win a starting job at one of the team’s corner spots. Unfortunately for Ward, the 49ers invested in the cornerback position over the offseason.
The Niners’ biggest defensive offseason acquisition this offseason was cornerback Richard Sherman, who is slotted to start opposite second-year corner Ahkello Witherspoon. So far in training camp, Ward has shared reps with Sherman as the former Seattle Seahawk continues his ongoing recovery from offseason Achilles surgery.
The 49ers also returned their starting slot cornerback K’Waun Williams, and added another potential slot corner in fifth-round selection D.J. Reed. While slot cornerback would be the easiest starting job for Ward to crack, Ward is better suited to play on the outside, or at free safety.
Prediction
Barring injury to an existing starter, a slow recovery by Sherman or a significant drop-off in play from Colbert, Ward will likely begin the season as the first defensive back off the 49ers’ bench.