49ers roster: Predicting safety depth chart after drafting Talanoa Hufanga

49ers safety depth will be determined by pass-coverage abilities

Jimmie Ward stayed relatively healthy in 2020, but Jaquiski Tartt didn’t, ultimately missing all but seven games with a turf-toe injury that ultimately ended his season.

In his place, the 49ers tried getting backups Tarvarius Moore and Marcell Harris more field time, yet the results weren’t overly impressive. At least in terms of pass-coverage skills and the Pro Football Focus pass-coverage grades for each showcase why this was a problem:

• Tarvarius Moore: 56.1
• Marcell Harris: 36.6

Moore allowed a near-perfect passer rating of 152.6 when targeted, while Harris’ mark here was 137.3. And while Moore’s faster speed and versatility as a boundary cornerback, big-nickel safety and fill-in strong safety help push his stock up a bit heading into 2021, the additions of Tavon Wilson and Talanoa Hufanga shake things up quite a lot.

Case in point with the 31-year-old Wilson, who had a 74.0 PFF pass-coverage grade his last year as a starter, 2019, with the Detroit Lions.

Hufanga, too, was known for his pass-coverage abilities at USC. The hard-hitting defender has the physicality of a linebacker but the cover skills of a free safety. And while he might not have the elite-level speed to keep pace with the faster pass-catchers he’ll encounter at the NFL level, one might assume he’ll make up for it with good positioning and technique.

If anything, it’s a bit of a wonder why he slipped into Round 5.

Ward and Tartt aren’t going anywhere. With Hufanga now in the mix, it’s likely the Niners keep only one of the remaining five safeties on the 53-man roster once Week 1 rolls around.

But who?