49ers re-sign Jimmie Ward to three-year deal, per report

The San Francisco 49ers were able to retain one of their defensive standouts from 2019, defensive back Jimmie Ward, who’s re-signing with the Niners on a three-year deal.

For the San Francisco 49ers, the big news on Monday was re-signing defensive end Arik Armstead to a five-year deal while also trading away Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts.

While the Buckner move stung, it did clear up more than $12 million in cap space. And the Niners were in much better position to re-sign yet another one of their big-name pending free agents, defensive back Jimmie Ward.

NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco reported late Monday night San Francisco was bringing Ward back on a three-year deal.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport added the contract was worth $28.5 million.

Ward enjoyed a career-best year in 2019, solidifying the 49ers secondary which ended up being part of the No. 1 pass defense in the league last season. Pro Football Focus also ranked Ward the No. 6 overall safety in the NFL, too.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have taken a liking to Ward since taking over the franchise in 2017. Despite a lengthy injury history at the conclusion of 2018, the Niners retained Ward on a one-year deal entering 2019.

Ward certainly capitalized on the opportunity.

Yet the move also does a lot to solidify San Francisco’s plans moving forward. According to Niners Nation’s Jason Hurley, the 49ers had just over $21 million in available cap space with Armstead’s new deal and before Ward’s new contract was factored in.

With an average annual salary of $9.5 million, Ward’s deal still leaves San Francisco with roughly $11.5 million still available. Some of that money will be used to sign the Niners’ upcoming NFL Draft class, yet there are still likely moves the team makes to free up additional cap space between now and the mandatory top-51 rule.

Re-signing Ward also alters the team’s draft plans. While grabbing a safety early seemed like a plausible route Lynch and Co. would take, the chances of that happening now seem much slimmer. It’s still a possibility, considering the details of Ward’s contract aren’t totally known and defensive backs can take time adjusting from the collegiate ranks to the pros.

But for now, one might assume San Francisco is thinking much more about a wide receiver, cornerback or offensive lineman.

Either way, the Niners shored up a notable position of need by retaining Ward, hoping he can be just as productive as he was last season and can stay healthy over the duration of his contract.