SF 49ers: 3 players who should see less field time after Bills loss

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie (19) defended by San Francisco 49ers safety Tarvarius Moore (33) Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow-Arizona Republic /

No. 1: SF 49ers Defensive Back Tarvarius Moore

It’s almost hard to say this, but the SF 49ers don’t have something potentially special in third-year defensive back Tarvarius Moore.

Yes, young defensive backs tend to struggle upon entry from the college ranks to the pros. It’s generally a good idea to exercise patience with such players, too.

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But Moore, despite his blazing-fast speed and intimidating 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame hasn’t shown the coverage development for which one would hope his third season in the league. It was why he lost a potential bid for a starting free safety role at the beginning of 2019, and the poorish positioning and recognition of routes have continued into this season.

Week 13 was no exception.

Moore was the primary coverage responsibility on Bills wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie‘s third-quarter touchdown, and Moore also failed to recognize the vertical route ran by fellow Buffalo wideout Gabriel Davis on his 28-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. On both plays, Moore was effectively covering wide-open grass, not the receivers.

Granted, injuries have forced the Niners to play Moore more frequently than they’d probably like and not use him solely as a big-nickel defensive back.

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That said, it’s probably best to assume Moore’s role will be only supplementary in nature going forward, not as an up-and-coming contributor to the defense.