Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: 2018 midterm report-card grades by position

By Peter Panacy

GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 28: Quarterback C.J. Beathard #3 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 28: Quarterback C.J. Beathard #3 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 16: Michael Roberts #80 of the Detroit Lions catches a touchdown pass over Adrian Colbert #27 of the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game at Levi’s Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 16: Michael Roberts #80 of the Detroit Lions catches a touchdown pass over Adrian Colbert #27 of the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game at Levi’s Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

D-. . . . SAFETY

The 49ers were hoping the starting safety tandem of Adrian Colbert and Jaquiski Tartt would work out to expectations this season.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

Well, it hasn’t exactly happened.

Before suffering what is likely a season-ending ankle injury in Week 7, Colbert’s 31.7 Pro Football Focus grade made him the lowest-ranked starting safety in the entire NFL. With a single-high free safety being a massively important piece in defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s Cover 3 system, Colbert needed to replicate the rangy, hard-hitting abilities he flashed towards the end of last season.

Instead, Colbert was more prone to taking poor angles and missing plenty of assignments. Inconsistency and injury eventually led to D.J. Reed seeing time at the position and, most recently, defensive back Jimmie Ward.

Tartt has been more effective than Colbert, sure. After all, he’s second on the defense in tackles (31) but has also been beset by various injuries, appearing in just six of the Niners’ eight games this year. And the lack of depth behind him has hurt, particularly in the 49ers’ 18-15 Week 8 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

It’s looking like safety will be yet another one of the many San Francisco needs this offseason.