49ers NFL Draft: 5 early needs for San Francisco in 2021
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers Possibly Replacing Jaquiski Tartt at Safety
This offseason, the Niners answered one of their critical needs by re-signing free safety Jimmie Ward to a three-year deal.
Ward was crucial in San Francisco owning the league’s best pass defense last season, and as long as Ward stays healthy, the expectation is the 49ers will again be potent enough against the pass en route to another Super Bowl push.
But what about Ward’s secondary teammate, strong safety Jaquiski Tartt.
Like Ward, Tartt enjoyed a highly productive 2019 campaign yet comes with a notable injury history. Over the last three seasons, Tartt has missed a total of 19 regular-season games entering his own contract season, which will be crucial in determining whether or not he prices himself out of the 49ers’ comfort range.
If Tartt capitalizes on another great season, this will likely be the case.
In an ideal world, San Francisco develops two younger players, Marcell Harris and/or Jared Mayden, into potential replacements for Tartt. But Harris’ 2019 coverage abilities left a lot to be desired, and Mayden is still a rookie with zero proven track record at the pro level.
It’s possible, perhaps likely neither of those two wind up being quality long-term replacements, putting the need for a good coverage safety high on the 49ers’ 2021 draft-needs list.