San Francisco 49ers: 5 worst players in 2018 through Week 7
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: Safety Adrian Colbert
OK, it’s time for the No. 1 worst player for the 49ers is someone who likely won’t see the field for the rest of 2018, second-year free safety Adrian Colbert.
Colbert suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 7, landing him on injured reserve and all but ending his second year at the pro level.
Last year, like Witherspoon, Colbert appeared to be yet another example of a Niners late-round NFL Draft pick making an immediate impact. His hard-hitting, long-ranging ways solidified him as San Francisco’s starting free safety — a position of maximum importance in Robert Saleh’s Cover 3, single-high defensive back scheme.
But Colbert, certainly the most out of the rest, has regressed tremendously his second season.
Colbert’s 31.7 Pro Football Focus grade is not only the worst among all San Francisco starters this season. It’s the worst among all starting safeties in the NFL. And if you thought Witherspoon’s numbers were bad, Colbert’s are worse. Sure, Colbert has allowed one fewer touchdown than Witherspoon. But those were on 11 targets compared to Witherspoon’s 35.
Opposing quarterbacks were posting a passer rating of 158.3 when targeting Colbert.
That’s a perfect passer rating, by the way.
We won’t know until 2019 whether or not Colbert’s rookie campaign was a mere “flash in the pan” or if this year was another one of those sometimes-common regressions some second-year players experience.
Either way, the Niners will likely be better without Colbert in the lineup for the rest of the season. Things certainly couldn’t get any worse.
Next. 3 players the 49ers should avoid at 2018 NFL trade deadline. dark
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