Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt OUT against the Patriots
The 49ers would have a terrific safety tandem if their starting safeties could just stay healthy.
But they can’t. Jaquiski Tartt and Jimmie Ward get injured and miss games every season. And both will miss the upcoming game against the New England Patriots. Tartt has a groin injury he suffered last Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. And Ward has a quadricep strain he suffered Thursday during practice that could keep him out multiple weeks.
Good grief.
“They gave (Ward’s injury) a 1.5 grade,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Friday. “I don’t think it will be real long, but we know for sure he’s not going to make the trip with us. We hope that will help him get a chance to be ready for next week.”
Ward signed a three-year, $28.5 million contract extension with the 49ers this offseason -- the 49ers let DeForest Buckner leave in free agency in part so they could re-sign Ward. But Ward has missed at least five games in all but two seasons of his career which began in 2014. He’s injury prone.
And so is Tartt, who has missed at least four games every season since 2017. Tartt will be a free agent at the end of this season. If the 49ers lose their next two games, they could trade him for a draft pick at the deadline on Nov. 3.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. The 49ers haven’t lost yet. This Sunday, their starting safeties most likely will be Tarvarius Moore and Marcell Harris. And I believe Moore is an upgrade over Ward. So let’s see what happens.
