SF 49ers roster: 3 options to replace Jaquiski Tartt in 2021

The SF 49ers seemed poised to lose starting safety Jaquiski Tartt to free agency this offseason, and the hope is roster depth can make up for the loss.

It seems all but certain safety Jaquiski Tartt has played his last down in an SF 49ers uniform.

And even that came premature, too, as the Niners’ second-round pick from the 2015 NFL Draft suffered a season-ending turf-toe injury in Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers last year, ultimately putting him in that unfortunate category of being an oft-injured player.

Indeed, from 2017 through 2020, Tartt appeared in only 36 of a possible 64 regular-season games, and he landed on season-ending injured reserve in three of those four years.

San Francisco’s coaching staff has loved Tartt ever since taking over in 2017. Even though he was part of the previous regime’s moves, the impact Tartt had when he was on the field made a notable difference.

Yet the SF 49ers have far more pressing free agency concerns this offseason. Armed with just over a projected $13.7 million in cap space, according to Over the Cap, it’s likely players like left tackle Trent Williams and fullback Kyle Juszczyk receive far more attention than Tartt before they hit the open market this spring.

Granted, Tartt likely won’t receive anything close to the $6.5 million annual average he had on his previous contract. But with the Niners needing to get both younger and cheaper within their secondary, it’s highly likely Tartt walks anyway.

There are always other veteran free-agent options out there, and the NFL Draft is always a possibility to retain Tartt.

But if San Francisco elects to replace him with in-house options, these three players could end up seeing a bump in their roles in 2021.