San Francisco 49ers: Top 5 injury liabilities for 2020

No. 4: 49ers’ Jimmie Ward and a thin safety crop

The secondary group is a very fascinating group to watch, particularly at safety.

This group has been under a lot of pressure over the last few seasons. And with zero NFL Draft moves to reinforce this unit, it’s not hard to understand why some look at the defensive backfield as San Francisco’s primary weakness entering 2020.

Even though the Niners allowed the fewest pass yards in the league a season ago.

That said, starting free safety Jimmie Ward has struggled with injuries since he has been in the league, landing on season-ending injured reserve in four of his first six pro years. Thankfully, Ward was relatively healthy for the near entirety of 2019, and he proved his worth last season by anchoring and solidifying San Francisco’s secondary.

But the team has limited depth at this position and doesn’t know exactly what they have there behind a player like Ward. Third-year pro Tarvarius Moore has flashed some promise, but that’s it. And there’s not exactly a promising reserve to be had with talent anywhere equal to Ward.

San Francisco doesn’t want to have to rely on the limited depth at safety