The San Francisco 49ers are gearing up for another run at a Super Bowl in 2023. They've been very successful as of late, appearing in Super Bowl LIV in 2019 and making the NFC Championship Game in both 2021 and 2022. However, they are still looking to get over the hump and win their first title since 1994.
General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have assembled one of the best rosters in the NFL. The offense features stars such as running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle, and Shanahan's scheme allows nearly any quarterback to thrive. Meanwhile, the defense features defensive end Nick Bosa, linebacker Fred Warner and more, making life difficult for any offense.
This offseason has been pretty quiet in San Francisco, save for one big splash. The 49ers signed star defensive tackle Javon Hargrave away from the Philadelphia Eagles, their top competitor in the NFC, to add even more talent to their defensive front. Aside from that though, most of their signings have been relatively minor.
On the other hand, the Niners have seen some key players head elsewhere this offseason. On offense, the 49ers let quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey walk, with both signing big deals elsewhere. For the defense, some of the key losses include edge rusher Samson Ebukam and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley.
However, there's one offseason loss in particular that hurts more than any other. That would be the loss of defensive back Jimmie Ward, one of the stalwarts on defense. Without further ado, here's why letting Ward walk is the 49ers' riskiest move of the offseason.
49ers' riskiest free agency move: Letting Jimmie Ward walk
As previously mentioned, Ward had been a staple of San Francisco's defense for a long time now. He spent the first nine seasons of his career with the 49ers, starting 79 games during that time. In those games, he posted 451 tackles, 44 passes defended, and seven interceptions. Last season alone, he had 50 tackles and three interceptions despite only playing in 12 games. Ward hasn't made the Pro Bowl in his career, but he was a consistently solid piece for the 49ers.
Despite that, the 49ers elected not to bring Ward back this offseason. The veteran safety instead signed a two-year, $13 million deal with the Houston Texans, ending his time in San Francisco.
Losing Ward is already a big blow for San Francisco, as he was a team captain and one of the leaders on the defense. What makes it worse, though, is that the 49ers didn't do much to replace him.
Ward was primarily a nickel corner for San Francisco last season, an unsung yet valuable role. After his departure, the 49ers signed former Atlanta Falcons cornerback Isaiah Oliver to likely play a similar role. Oliver only signed for about half as much as Ward did in Houston, but the saying “you get what you paid for” exists for a reason. Oliver only had 25 tackles and one interception in 12 games with Atlanta last season, roughly half of Ward's production.
Additionally, Ward's leadership will be very difficult to replace. This is a player who has grown with the team for nearly a decade, to the point where he became a captain as the 49ers ascended to contention. No offense to Oliver, but he or any other free agency signing can't replace that.
The 49ers' defense may be a work in progress this season as it adjusts to their losses this offseason. Of all those losses, though, Ward may be the most difficult to adjust to, both on and off the field.
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