An Improved Kindred Would Give 49ers Viable 5th Safety
Once the 49ers re-signed free safety Jimmie Ward to a three-year, $28.5 million contract, the starting safeties were secured for 2020.
When healthy, Ward and strong safety Jaquiski Tartt form one of the best tandems in the NFL. Reserves Marcell Harris and Tarvarius Moore only add to that, having shown flashes of brilliance.
Yet, given Tartt and Ward’s injury history and the inexperience of both Harris and Moore, further depth at safety is becoming more important.
One more experienced option would be safety Derrick Kindred, who signed a reserves/futures contract with San Francisco on Jan. 3. The former Cleveland Brown bounced around the NFL in 2019, being waived by four teams without playing a game. But prior to that, he was a versatile piece for both TCU and Cleveland.
According to Niners Nation’s Kyle Posey, Kindred “can play anywhere ...” but he’s best “... near the line of scrimmage.” Although a rangy-safety that can cover is important, the 49ers have a few of those. Where they do need a little more depth is at box (strong) safety.
When Tartt got injured last season, Ward was asked to move down to the box while Harris manned the free safety position.
Although fine to use a starter at one position as the backup for another during the regular season, it won’t be done during preseason. Given their injury history, Tartt and Ward won’t be seeing much time on the field after the first quarter. This allows for Kindred to see plenty of snaps at his strongest position, while others man his weaker free safety position.
This doesn’t mean Kindred is a lock to make the roster. He’s actually far from that. His history of missed tackles and poor coverage hurt him compared to the cleaner slates of fellow safeties Chris Edwards and Jared Mayden.
In 2018, Kindred’s last season in Cleveland, he got burned for 18 completions on 23 targets. Quarterbacks averaged a first down (10.7 yards) every time they threw his way. That’s a major reason why he was benched by one of the worst pass-defenses in the NFL.
Yet, San Francisco and elite defensive coordinator Robert Saleh must have seen something fixable in him. His career 148 tackles, 10 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions and a forced fumble are good, but his 13.5 missed tackle percentage and poor coverage must improve if he is to make the team.
That might seem like a lot, but the 49ers are only a year removed from taking one of the worst teams and defenses in the NFL and turning it into an NFC Champion. Kindred wouldn’t even be the first Cleveland defensive back in recent history to find success with a move to Levi’s Stadium. K’Waun Williams went from failed Cleveland draft pick to a possible Pro Bowl nickel corner last season.
It’s not out of the realm of possibilities in the right situation, and it’s hard to find a better one than being a defensive back with that 49ers pass rush, that Kindred could become a serviceable piece of the 49ers bench.
