SF 49ers: Post-2021 draft bubble watch for 53-man roster
By Peter Panacy
SF 49ers bubble watch: Safety
Lock: Jimmie Ward, Jaquiski Tartt
Strong bubble: Tarvarius Moore, Tavon Wilson, Talanoa Hufanga*
Weak bubble: Marcell Harris, Jared Mayden
Long shot: Kai Nacua
* denotes rookie
One could possibly argue strong safety Jaquiski Tartt is on the strong side of the bubble, given he’s back solely on a one-year deal after finishing 2020 on injured reserve. But with $987,500 of his $1.127 million contract fully guaranteed, it doesn’t seem likely.
The depth behind Tartt and free safety Jimmie Ward saw a shakeup following the offseason additions of the veteran, Tavon Wilson, and the fifth-round rookie, USC’s Talanoa Hufanga, who both possess better pass-coverage skills than San Francisco’s reserves last year, Marcell Harris and Tarvarius Moore.
Moore’s natural fit as a free safety likely pins him as safely on the 53-man roster, although Harris is likely to be pushed off by Hufanga, who is considered one of the SF 49ers’ biggest steals of this year’s NFL Draft.
The Niners also seem to like what second-year pro Jared Mayden can offer on special teams, so he’ll be someone worth monitoring heading towards Week 1.