49ers depth chart: Predicting Week 1 defense for 2020 season

49ers Depth Chart: Safety

Injuries are a risk for any position, but one could argue the 49ers depth chart at safety has more injury concerns than any other group.

San Francisco’s two starters here, free safety Jimmie Ward and strong safety Jaquiski Tartt, both had stellar 2019 campaigns and were a major factor in the Niners’ top-ranked pass defense a season ago. But they both have notable injury histories, too. Ward, despite remaining relatively healthy last year, has landed on injured reserve in four of his first six seasons at the pro level. Tartt, meanwhile, has missed 19 regular-season games the past three years, including missing four a year ago due to a ribs injury.

San Francisco 49ers

The depth behind these two could go in one of two directions. Tartt’s backup, Marcell Harris, has proven to be a solid run-stopper, yet his pass-coverage abilities were fully revealed in Week 14 against the New Orleans Saints.

Ward’s backup, Tarvarius Moore, was given every opportunity to earn the starting nod early in 2019. But that didn’t go according to plan, and Ward was able to seize it from him.

It’s anyone’s guess if Moore has developed into a viable starting candidate or if he’ll remain a primary backup for the secondary.

• Jimmie Ward
• Jaquiski Tartt
• Tarvarius Moore
• Jared Mayden

Let’s go on a bit of a reach here and assume the undrafted rookie out of Alabama, Jared Mayden, pushes Harris off the 53-man roster.

Mayden was mostly overshadowed last season by his safety teammate, Xavier McKinney, who was selected by the New York Giants in Round 2 of this year’s draft. Mayden had the pedigree to be drafted on day three, yet he slipped through the cracks and could be a solid sleeper candidate to make the back end of San Francisco’s roster.

If he does, there won’t be much room for Harris to make the cut, too.