SF 49ers: Ranking top 5 needs in 2021 NFL Draft

SF 49ers NFL Draft Need No. 4: Safety

One of the players San Francisco likely lets walk in free agency this offseason is veteran strong safety Jaquiski Tartt.

Tartt has been a solid contributor, when healthy, although he’s landed on season-ending injured reserve in three of his four seasons under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan, including a turf-toe setback this year that likely signified the end of his SF 49ers tenure.

It’s too bad the Niners haven’t fully developed an adequate on-roster replacement, as third-year pro Marcell Harris has looked like little more than a backup and fellow defensive back Tarvarius Moore’s lapses in coverage skills and angles point to him being essentially a boom-or-bust player when he’s on the field.

Considering the importance of San Francisco’s safeties in coordinator Robert Saleh’s defensive scheme, it doesn’t appear as if either Harris or Moore are long-term starting options.

There is the possibility the SF 49ers re-sign veteran safety Johnathan Cyprien, who is currently on IR and could likely be had on the cheap next season. But he, too, isn’t exactly a long-term fix.

And considering many a young defensive back takes time to develop at the pro level after being drafted, it would be wise for the Niners to invest in someone who could fill Tartt’s soon-to-be void earlier than later.