No. 2: 49ers Safety Jaquiski Tartt
When he’s on the field, strong safety Jaquiski Tartt is one of the better 49ers defenders out there.
The problem, however, is Tartt has had a tough time staying on the field.
Having landed on season-ending injured reserve in three of the last four seasons, Tartt has missed a total of 30 regular-season games out of 64 during that same span. As a result, the Niners have been forced to field backup safeties like Tarvarius Moore and Marcell Harris, and neither one of those two has been a totally adequate replacement.
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Despite this, and probably to merely postpone the need to find a long-term solution, San Francisco re-signed Tartt to a one-year deal during the offseason with the hopes he can bounce back from the injury-plagued campaigns he’s endured recently.
Unfortunately for him, he’s still dealing with a toe injury during organized team activities, and that’s the same injury that prematurely ended his 2020 campaign a year ago.
Yet the 49ers stockpiled some additional defensive backs this offseason, too, namely fifth-round rookie Talanoa Hufanga, whom the Niners hope could potentially take over a full-time starting role in 2022.
Until then, Tartt has to showcase he can stay fully healthy.