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San Francisco 49ers: Way-too-early 53-man roster projections for 2019

By Robert Morrison

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 09: Members of the San Francisco 49ers line up in the tunnel to take the field before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 09: Members of the San Francisco 49ers line up in the tunnel to take the field before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Jaquiski Tartt #29 of the San Francisco 49ers intercepts the pass intended for Kelvin Benjamin #13 of the Carolina Panthers while Dontae Johnson #36 of the San Francisco 49ers was also covering him at Levi’s Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Jaquiski Tartt #29 of the San Francisco 49ers intercepts the pass intended for Kelvin Benjamin #13 of the Carolina Panthers while Dontae Johnson #36 of the San Francisco 49ers was also covering him at Levi’s Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Strong Safety (3): Jaquiski Tartt, Marcell Harris, Anton Exum Jr. 

Jaquiski Tartt has cemented himself pretty well as the starting strong safety. And, provided he can stay healthy, is actually a quality player at the position. Marcell Harris, a rookie last year, showed it at times throughout , but acquitted himself decently well when given his shot once Tartt went down.

Antone Exum played sparingly last year, but could be useful in a pinch. There could certainly be an upgrade somewhere in the draft.

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But for now, these seems like a solid, if unspectacular, group.

Free Safety (3): Adrian Colbert, Jimmie Ward, D.J Reed Jr.

A year ago, it looked pretty well like seventh-round pick Adrian Colbert had solidified himself as the long-term answer at free safety, a position that is a vital part of the 49ers defensive scheme.

Then he struggled out of the gate, before being placed on IR in late October. Both Jimmie Ward and then D.J. Reed stepped in to the position, but Ward broke his forearm for the second time in two years and Reed could never quite piece it together.

The former is back on a one-year prove-it deal, while the latter is just a second-year player. But it’s clear why many 49ers fans were clamoring for the team to go after now-Baltimore Ravens safety Earl Thomas in free agency — this important position is in a wild state of flux.

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There’s talent here, but also history of inconsistency and season-ending injuries, something unsettling given how important pass coverage is in this NFL.