3 positions 49ers need to upgrade this offseason

No. 2: Safety

The obvious move for the 49ers to make at the safety position is to re-sign Jimmie Ward. Ward played a vital role in coordinator Robert Saleh‘s defense last season.

The problem is Ward should command around an $8 million yearly contract: a steep price to pay for a player who arguably has only had one relatively successful season in his six-year career.

Ward graded as PFF’s No. 6 best player at the safety position last season. His production would not be easily replaceable if he does indeed walk in free agency, but San Francisco might have to look at some cheaper options.

One cheaper option would be free-agent Karl Joseph. Joseph played four seasons for the Oakland Raiders. He has been a very consistent player throughout his career, which is something that Ward cannot attest to.

Joseph’s best season was in 2018 where he was rated as the No. 23 best safety with a PFF grade of 74.5. The beautiful thing about Joseph is he is projected to cost just half of what Ward’s contract could be. The Niners might also be able to sign Joseph to a shorter contract and use him as a rental-type player until they can upgrade the position when they have more draft capital in 2021.

Many mock drafts have San Francisco taking a safety with its first-round pick. Most notably, Xavier McKinney from Alabama. McKinney is a versatile player who can hit hard and protect against deep passing plays. He comes from as pro-ready of a college as there is having played against some of the top opponents in the SEC.

The drawback with McKinney is that he will cost the 49ers the No. 31 overall pick, which could be better used on one of the many offensive needs that the team has.

The best option would be to re-sign Ward and keep the dominant defense the Niners had last year completely intact. If the team is unable to do this due to financial restrictions, then Joseph could be a great placeholder at the position.