49ers roster: Tarvarius Moore in precarious spot entering 2022

The 49ers missed Tarvarius Moore last season in the wake of his Achilles tear, yet the changes in the defensive backfield could still leave him out of the picture.

It’s anyone’s guess how different the San Francisco 49ers’ overall 2021 campaign would have gone if fifth-year defensive back Tarvarius Moore hadn’t suffered an offseason Achilles tear that completely derailed his efforts entering that crucial fourth year at the pro level.

Considering the Niners made it to the NFC Championship game without him suggests his absence wasn’t too bad, but one should recall how Moore made a key interception as a big-nickel safety during the Super Bowl two seasons prior.

The nature of Moore’s injury effectively bumped the final year of his rookie contract into 2022, and on the surface, that would appear to be a good thing. Especially in the wake of San Francisco bidding farewell to its long-time starting strong safety, Jaquiski Tartt, in free agency.

But this doesn’t automatically open up a path for Moore to finally assume a starting job years after the 49ers drafted him in Round 3 way back in 2018.

If anything, Moore could be a victim of the numbers game.

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Generated 7/11/2022.

Now 25 years old, Tartt could still technically be on the ascent. However, him getting back up to speed after missing all of 2021 could serve as a detriment, too.

Especially if the Niners are already looking beyond him in what’s still a crucial contract year for the former Southern Mississippi defensive back.

Let’s take a look at what’s on tap for him heading into the upcoming season.

Why Tarvarius Moore finally hits his stride with 49ers

Fans may recall the original plan with Moore back in 2018 was to move the speedy defensive back from his natural safety spot to boundary cornerback, yet that yielded less-than-satisfactory results.

Moving back to a reserve safety the following year, Moore managed to make more of an impact, starting three regular-season games and even having that should-have-been-a-game-changing interception in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs:

As a big nickel when San Francisco went with three safeties, Moore seemed to find his footing. And if the 49ers elect to deploy him in a similar way in 2022, provided he makes the roster, he might replicate some of those successes enjoyed in 2019.

Even though they don’t project to be of the high-impact variety.

Why Tarvarius Moore fails to impress 49ers

Moore has long been one of those defensive backs who plays much better with the action in front of him, yet he still requires a lot of help on either side.

While not a perfect analytical point, injuries in 2020 forced Moore to start eight games at safety over the course of the season, and his passer rating allowed was 156.2, just shy of being perfect from opposing quarterbacks when targeting him. During that season, he surrendered 15 receptions on 20 targets for 252 yards and three touchdowns.

Not good.

Now, factoring in the Achilles injury that negated his 2021 campaign, one can fairly wonder if Moore will ever live up to the hope he was going to be an impact player within the Niners secondary.

Tarvarius Moore’s chances of making 49ers’ 53-man roster, projected role if he does

San Francisco nevertheless overhauled its safety room this offseason despite watching Tartt depart, adding free-agent defensive back George Odum while also grabbing undrafted free-agent safety Leon O’Neal Jr. as a possible option down in the box.

In light of these moves, Moore has gone from an early favorite to take over fully from Tartt to someone who might easily be on the fringes of the roster.

For almost all of their offseason workouts thus far, the 49ers have gone with second-year safety Talanoa Hufanga in Tartt’s stead, giving the USC product first-team reps with players like Odum and O’Neal serving with second- and third-string units.

This doesn’t bode well for Moore, who is probably still taking things slowly in advance of training camp because of the injury. But, when looking at the final year of his contract, the Niners could part ways with him and save over $1 million with zero in dead money.

Financially, there’s no guarantee whatsoever he’ll hang around.

If he does, and he’ll have to prove his value in camp, Moore will likely revert back to the role he had in 2019 and 2020: a reserve safety who can play on big-nickel packages and special teams.

That might be his ceiling unless he has the most productive training camp he’s yet enjoyed.