49ers to place safety Adrian Colbert on injured reserve with ankle sprain

The San Francisco 49ers are going to place safety Adrian Colbert on injured reserve, according to various reports, after he injured his ankle in Week 7 versus the Rams.

The 2018 injury bug bites the San Francisco 49ers once again.

This time, starting free safety Adrian Colbert is going to wind up on injured reserve, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan (h/t Joe Fann of 49ers.com and numerous other Niners insiders).

Colbert, 25 years old, suffered a high-ankle sprain during the 49ers’ 39-10 Week 7 loss at home to the Los Angeles Rams. He was attempting to defend a pass intended for Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks but bumped into cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon in the process, landing awkwardly and being forced to come off the field in a cart.

According to additional reports, the injury is expected to take between six and eight weeks’ recovery time, likely meaning Colbert won’t return this season.

In a corresponding move, San Francisco re-signed quarterback Tom Savage, who was waived last week.

The Niners pegged Colbert in the starting free safety role this season. He started six of San Francisco’s seven games but also dealt with varying injuries before this Week 7 setback. Over that stretch, Colbert registered 20 tackles and one pass broken up.

Yet Colbert’s second year at the NFL level looked nothing like the promising efforts he flashed his rookie 2017 season.

KNBR 680’s Brad Almquist explained:

"Pro Football Focus ranks Colbert as the worst starting safety in the league. His 31.7 rating is nearly 13 points fewer than any other starting safety.Colbert assumed the starting free safety spot in Week 10 of last year and shined. He and Jaquiski Tartt, who has plateaued this year, were expected to be the dynamic safety duo of the present and future. Colbert particularly has not resembled the rangy, instinctual, hard-hitting player we saw last year.Colbert was almost nonexistent in the opening three weeks. In Week 4, D.J. Reed started in place of him. The following week, Shanahan spoke as if the starting competition was somewhat open, inferring Colbert’s grasp on the job had loosened a bit. Then, in Week 5, he allowed a 75-yard touchdown on a terrible misread."

Colbert is just one of many second-year defenders who have regressed this season.

The 49ers have a few options to replace Colbert at the position. The one most likely is the rookie, D.J. Reed, who has taken over for Colbert when he’s been unavailable. He has 13 tackles on the year and probably isn’t much of an upgrade at this point.

If the Niners feel comfortable about their cornerbacks (they shouldn’t), moving defensive back Jimmie Ward from boundary corner back to free safety — his collegiate position — is another option. But San Francisco’s current depth at cornerback is so thin, it’s doubtful the 49ers make this kind of move unless absolutely necessary.

The Niners made only modest moves to reinforce their secondary depth this offseason. With Colbert now out for the long term, that depth will be tested in force the coming weeks.

On a positive note, it gives defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and Co. a chance to see if they have anything of value in Reed, who’ll likely wind up being the top replacement option.

If he excels there, great. San Francisco has a brewing position battle in 2019.

But if not, at least the Niners can add safety help to their long list of needs this upcoming offseason.