San Francisco 49ers: Training camp battles to watch at each position
By Peter Panacy
The San Francisco 49ers kick off training camp for 2019 in a matter of days, and Niner Noise breaks down one position battle to watch at each position.
One could make the argument the San Francisco 49ers are as deep as they have been entering a training camp during the reign of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.
That means the Niners have improved since the tandem took over in 2017. And once the preseason is over, there’s a good chance some good-quality, starting-caliber players wind up on the proverbial roster-cut ax.
And that’s a good thing, too.
Training camp this year starts for San Francisco on Friday, July 26. Practices officially kick off the following day, and there are already a number of question marks facing Shanahan’s squad entering this crucial offseason phase.
There are question marks for each position as well.
As part of Niner Noise’s training camp preview pieces, let’s take a look at each position on the roster and break down one position battle to watch from each group.
Safety: Tarvarius Moore vs. Adrian Colbert
It seems likely the 49ers want to peg the veteran, Jimmie Ward, as the team’s starter at free safety.
Considering Ward’s injury history, though, it’s wise to have a quality backup. Entering 2018, the Niners thought they had a good one in Adrian Colbert, who flashed plenty of promise his rookie season. But Colbert regressed last year, which raises those questions entering 2019.
During organized team activities, San Francisco switched cornerback Tarvarius Moore back to his natural safety spot, where he played in college.
Moore thrived in that role at Southern Mississippi, and he seems to be poised to take over that prime backup role from Colbert.
As far as long-term implications, Ward is signed only through this season. Colbert, meanwhile, needs to bounce back in a big way. If he doesn’t, and Moore shows serious promise at safety during training camp, the 49ers depth chart could see some significant changes by Week 1.