SF 49ers Safeties
Free Safety: Jimmie Ward, Tarvarius Moore
Strong Safety: Jaquiski Tartt, Marcell Harris
There was a chance San Francisco would see veteran strong safety Johnathan Cyprien overtake third-year pro Marcell Harris to be the primary backup to the starter, Jaquiski Tartt. Cyprien impressed in training camp after being added late, and Harris’ 2019 struggles in pass coverage suggested there could be a shakeup here.
Yet Kyle Shanahan ultimately decided to go with the younger commodity, Harris, who also seemed to improve his pass coverage in camp.
It’s important, as Tartt has missed 19 regular-season games due to injury over the last three seasons.
The 49ers re-signed free safety Jimmie Ward during the offseason. Despite a lengthy injury history of his own, Ward was a major reason why the Niners secondary ranked No. 1 against the pass in 2019. His health will be key, yes. But as long as he’s on the field, San Francisco’s defense will be better for it.
Third-year pro Tarvarius Moore will still serve as a backup to Ward as well as a big-nickel safety when the 49ers deploy this kind of defensive formation.