49ers mid-preseason 53-man roster projection for 2019

Safeties

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

Strong Safety, Mid-preseason (2): Jaquiski Tartt, Marcell Harris

The numbers just don’t work out for three players at this position, with more players being thrown at the defensive line and linebacker. Maybe that doesn’t end up being the case, but it isn’t just numbers game. Frankly there just aren’t three players worth making the team here at this point.

Frankly, the ideal situation is that Jaquiski Tartt is the starter and actually manages to make it through a full 16-game season, something he has yet to do as a professional.

Marcell Harris, a second year player out of Florida, is a solid enough backup, but doesn’t provide the same versatility that Tartt does, something the 49ers are looking to make a bigger part of their defensive scheme this season.

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

Free Safety, Mid-preseason (2): Tarvarius Moore, Jimmie Ward

Just like with the strong safety position, the free safety spot loses a man in this version of the roster projection. Much like with the cornerback situation, D.J. Reed solidifying himself as a cornerback is notable here.

Moore is a vital part of this, as his already mentioned move back from cornerback is, according to defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, getting him to where he has “earned the right to be part of the discussion” as a starter for Week 1.

He has played well in both preseason games, and was able to play almost the entire opener due to Adrian Colbert’s ejection. On top of that, he’s turned heads throughout training camp and during the joint practice with the Broncos, according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jennifer Lee Chan:

Jimmie Ward figures to return from injury in the next few days, as he was among the 49ers who returned to practice after Monday night’s game. But due to Moore’s play and the team not wanting to rush him back, Ward seems likely to be subjugated to a backup role, where he may find himself floating as needed as he has throughout his career.

The notable absence here is former starter Adrian Colbert, who seems to have fallen off a cliff since his breakout rookie season. He finished as one of PFF’s top rated rookie safeties that year, but fell to just a 31.7 grade last season in only seven games.

It’s possible that the 49ers choose to keep Colbert around as a depth piece and move away from a linebacker or defensive lineman to reach the 53-man limit. But that’s the best that Colbert is likely to see for 2019.

Obviously a lot can still change before the roster cut deadline, but given the current state of the team, this iteration of the final group seems to make plenty of sense.