Why 49ers stayed away from big-name safeties in NFL free agency

With the San Francisco 49ers secondary being one of their biggest weak spots in 2018, why did the Niners not sign a big-name safety in NFL free agency?

Coming into NFL free agency, it was expected that the San Francisco 49ers would look to sign a veteran safety. In particular, a free safety. Given the position was an area the Niners struggled with last season, it was a surprise when they decided not to pursue anyone.

Former Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas was widely viewed as the favorite to land with the 49ers, given his perfect scheme fit with defensive coach Robert Saleh. And, while Thomas is coming off a season-ending fractured leg, his experience and skill set alone would have made him a picture-perfect addition to the Niners.

In a free agency class that was stocked with safeties, including Landon Collins, Ha Ha Clintox-Dix and Tre Boston, to name a few, the 49ers instead decided to re-sign injury-plagued defensive back Jimmie Ward and safety Antone Exum.

The Niners brought back Ward on a one-year deal worth $5 million. Incredibly, since the 49ers drafted him in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Ward has only played in 51 out of a possible 80 regular-season games. That’s practically two whole seasons that Ward has been sidelined during his career.

Ward has ended the season on injured reserve more often than not, with an inability to stay healthy for the entire season. Given his lengthy injury history, he was seen by most fans as a player the Niners were unlikely to re-sign. However, with head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch both praising Ward’s ability when he is healthy, it’s not really that big a surprise.

Lynch recently appeared on 49ers Live and discussed with 49ers senior reporter Joe Fann the team’s free agency signings, along with why the Niners deemed it unnecessary to explore the market at safety.

“We like our free safety group. First of all, it was big for us to bring back Jimmie Ward,” Lynch said. “I know that’s a hot button item because he hasn’t been able to stay healthy. We aren’t blind to that. We understand that. There’s a lot to like about Jimmie Ward, though, in what he brings. Are we taking a gamble? Yes, but that’s accounted for in our contract with him. Jimmie wanted to be here, and we wanted to give him that opportunity to come back.”

Lynch is correct in saying it’s a gamble bringing Ward back. While if he’s miraculously able to stay healthy for the season, he is a player who can help shore up the safety position and provide a reasonable defense.

However, should the injury bug strike again, as it so often does, the 49ers will find themselves in the same predicament as last season — dependent on their depth players at safety to attempt to put together a solid defense.

Ward’s main competition for the starting role will be from safety Adrian Colbert. The third-year safety struggled in 2018 after a promising start in his rookie year. Big things were predicted for Colbert coming into his second year in the league. However, poor performances led to him being ranked 93rd by Pro Football Focus, the lowest of any qualifying safety, with a 31.7 grade. His season being cut short due to a high ankle sprain didn’t help Colbert’s stock.

But, if he’s to retain a position on the 49ers’ squad long term, Colbert will need to see a vast improvement in 2019.

“For whatever reason, he didn’t carry over that rookie season, and then got hurt,” Lynch said of Colbert. “We felt like he was starting to play like the guy we saw his rookie season that we thought was going to be our long-term answer at free safety. He’s very much in that conversation.”

Lynch continued with the discussion stating that the 49ers feel good about their free safety depth and think they’re pretty well stocked there. Given that safeties Exum, Jaquiski Tartt and D.J. Reed are all capable of lining up at the free safety position, it’s hard not to see Lynch’s point regarding their depth aspect.

However, where the argument can be made is that, while the 49ers do have depth at the position, do they have the necessary level of skill to go along with it?

The fact remains that many of those players, while capable, are not starting-caliber players.

While it’s commendable a team putting faith in their own players, where there’s the opportunity to sign a top safety and a team passes, it’s just not smart football.