Safety

The 49ers’ need at safety hinges a lot on what happens with starting free safety Jimmie Ward in free agency. If Ward returns, which he’s said he wants to, San Francisco’s need at this spot would diminish significantly with Ward and starting strong safety Jaquiski Tartt set to return. Their depth is passable for now.

However, if Ward exits, safety shoots to the top of the team’s list of needs. Tartt’s skill set is better suited to play the strong safety spot. The same goes for Marcell Harris, who’s entering his third season after some up-and-down outings as a starter at strong safety while Tartt nursed a rib injury over the final four weeks of the season. Tarvarius Moore started the first three games when Ward was out to start the year and played well as a third safety in the Super Bowl.

While the depth is adequate, finding a prospect who can step in and take over as the starting free safety right away may wind up becoming a top priority for the 49ers.