Green Bay Packers: 3 Possible trade partners for safety Josh Jones
By Joe Kipp
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers sported one of the worst secondaries in the NFL last season, despite the acquisition of former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman.
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Veteran strong safety Jaquiski Tartt was arguably the team’s most reliable option at the position, which isn’t saying much. Strong safety Adrian Colbert took a huge step back in his development, while Antone Exum Jr. played at a replacement-level, as well.
The team’s most versatile safety, Jimmie Ward, recently broke his collarbone during OTAs and is expected to be out for about two months. In other words, the 49ers’ options at safety are slim. Trading a late-round pick for a former second-rounder in Josh Jones could be the boost to the secondary the team needs.
That said, Jones’ biggest need for improvement lies with his coverage ability – the same struggles Tartt, Colbert and Exum had last season. All four of San Fran’s safeties excelled much more in the run game, an area Jones does exceptional work in, as well. The one thing Jones has going for him that the 49ers’ current safeties don’t have is his combination of size and athleticism. At 6-1 and 220 pounds, Jones would step in immediately as a safety/linebacker hybrid in Robert Saleh’s defense.