Jimmie Ward’s return to San Francisco on a one-year deal shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. In fact, re-signing the oft-injured defensive back actually makes a ton of sense for the 49ers.
San Francisco selected Ward No. 30 overall in the 2014 draft as a safety out of Northern Illinois. He bounced around between outside corner, slot corner and free safety, displaying an extremely valuable level of versatility.
Ward figured to be in the mix at free safety going into last season, but he wound up staying at corner throughout camp, and only moving to safety when injuries forced a move back.
The problem with Ward was never his play or his fit in the locker room. He’s beloved by the coaching staff by all accounts. He might also be the best free safety on a roster that doesn’t have any proven starters at either safety spot.
A one-year deal worth up to $5 million isn’t going to break the bank for San Francisco, and it’s not going to prohibit them from adding other free agent defensive backs.
Ward’s injury history is obviously the biggest issue. He played just one full season out of five, and finished each of the last two years on injured reserve. It’s worth noting though that none of Ward’s injuries were chronic issues, but rather a series of unrelated injuries.
That’s why a one-year deal makes sense. Ward can compete for a starting job while simultaneously offering versatility to play three different positions should the team need it. If he gets hurt, they’re not on the hook long term. If he plays well, they have a bargain basement free safety.
This is a good signing for the 49ers, but it can’t be their only solution in the secondary. Ward is a good player who could win the starting job, but his injury history means a Plan B is essential whether that comes through the draft or in free agency.
