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Jimmie Ward

NFC West Rumors: 49ers, Akers, Reddick, Ward

November 3rd, 2022 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

The 49ers capitalized at the trade deadline Tuesday, acquiring a fifth-round pick in exchange for running back Jeff Wilson. When the offer came in from Dolphins general manager Chris Grier, it was an easy decision for 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan to make, as they had already agreed on the lowest possible compensation they would take for Wilson, according to Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports.

Wilson was strategically available in this fashion due to the 49ers’ recent acquisition of former Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey. “You can only keep so many, just from a roster approach,” Lynch told the media. “We knew when we made the Christian move, someone was going to have to go, and, ultimately, Jeff’s the one.”

San Francisco will move forward with McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell (currently on injured reserve), rookie third-round pick Tyrion Davis-Price, and undrafted rookie Jordan Mason. In Miami, Wilson will reunite with backfield-mate Raheem Mostert and head coach Mike McDaniel. He’ll also compete for snaps with Salvon Ahmed and Myles Gaskin.

Here are a few more rumors from around the NFC West, starting with some insight in LA:

  • After lots of talk around trading running back Cam Akers, the Rams retained the 23-year-old back, allowing him to return to the team. Akers has insisted on multiple occasions that “he didn’t know why he was asked to leave the team,” according to Sarah Barshop of ESPN. He spoke in the locker room and told Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic that “at no point did he ask the Rams for a trade or release.” Regardless, he reported that a conversation he had with head coach Sean McVay yesterday was good for both parties and that Akers and his teammates are glad to have him back around the team.
  • After three average years in the Cardinals‘ defense, linebacker Haason Reddick made a request that would save his career, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic. Underachieving as an inside linebacker led Arizona to decline the former first-round pick’s fifth-year option. In an act of desperation, Reddick suggested to his coaches that he revert back to the pass rushing position he excelled at in college, taking advantage of the team’s star pass rusher, Chandler Jones, going to IR. He had been considered too small to succeed at the NFL level as a pass rusher, but the circumstances left Arizona with little choice. Reddick would finish the year with 12.5 sacks, leading to the resurgence of his young career.
  • It took a while for 49ers veteran defensive back Jimmie Ward to find success in the NFL. For three years, San Francisco tried to force Ward into a nickelback role before eventually settling him into success at free safety. Now, at 31-years-old, Ward has been asked to return to a nickel cornerback role, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. After playing only one snap in the first six games of the season due to a hamstring injury and a broken hand, Ward lost his starting job to Tashaun Gipson, who has simply played well in Ward’s absence. Now, with Gipson firmly at free safety and Ward coming back from injury with a club cast, Ward’s role comes at nickel corner. He’s accepted the circumstances and his new role moving forward with the team.

49ers Getting Key Starters Back Against Chiefs

October 21st, 2022 at 7:11pm CST by Ely Allen

San Francisco obviously got a big boost in acquiring former Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey this week, although his impact for Sunday afternoon’s matchup against the Chiefs is still yet to be determined. Well, the good news keeps rolling in for the 49ers as three starters in defensive end Nick Bosa, offensive tackle Trent Williams, and safety Jimmie Ward are all set to play this week as the team hosts Kansas City, according to a tweet from NFL Network’s Taylor Bisciotti.

Bosa returns to the lineup after missing last week’s game, a loss to the Falcons, with a groin injury that knocked him out in the first half of the team’s win over the Panthers in the week prior. Bosa should return his normal dominance to the Niners defense. In five games this year, Bosa has 6.0 sacks, 6.0 tackles for loss, and 16 quarterback hits. His presence will be a big boost against the wily Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.

San Francisco hasn’t seen Williams on the field since the star tackle went to the locker room in the third quarter of a Week 3 matchup against the Broncos. The 49ers offense has been relying on backup swing tackle Jaylon Moore during Williams’ absence, and, while he has filled in admirably, the return of the nine-time Pro Bowl tackle, Williams, will be a welcome addition.

While the 49ers have also been utilizing and enjoying the depth of their safety position, they will welcome the return of safety Jimmie Ward. The ninth-year veteran has enjoyed a starting role in San Francisco since 2015 with only injuries here and there limiting his playing time. Ward had returned from injured reserve against the Panthers, after missing the first four weeks of the season, but suffered a broken hand on the opening kickoff and left the game. After sitting out last week, the Niners are ready to put Ward back on the field. He’ll sport a full club cast on his left hand and, depending on how he’s feeling on the field, they’ll likely be careful with his return to avoid any more stints on the injured lists, meaning Tashaun Gipson, who has been starting in Ward’s absence, could still see some significant snaps.

While we still can’t be sure just how much McCaffrey will be a part of San Francisco’s gameplan, the addition of Bosa, Williams, and Ward bodes well for the 49ers’ chances against one of the juggernauts of the AFC.

49ers S Jimmie Ward Expected To Miss Multiple Games

October 13th, 2022 at 2:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

After missing the 49ers’ first four games with a hamstring injury, Jimmie Ward came off injured reserve and returned to his starting post alongside emerging talent Talanoa Hufanga. Ward then suffered another injury on San Francisco’s first defensive play. Another absence is on tap.

The ninth-year safety, whom the 49ers brought back from IR when first eligible, is looking at a multiweek shutdown after his latest injury, according to Kyle Shanahan. The sixth-year HC said (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch) Ward could return “in a few weeks.” Ward suffered a broken left hand and has already undergone surgery.

[RELATED: Emmanuel Moseley Suffers Torn ACL]

Ward, 31, is guaranteed to miss this week’s game against the Falcons, with a re-evaluation scheduled for next week to determine how effectively he can play with a cast. The former first-round pick came into the season having enjoyed an improved run of health. He only missed six games from 2019-21, anchoring San Francisco’s safety group as Jaquiski Tartt was more frequently absent. But Ward experienced extensive early-career injury misfortune, playing more than 10 games just once in his first five seasons.

The 49ers have Tashaun Gipson on hand as Ward’s replacement. With Gipson starting the team’s first four games, when Ward was on IR, the 49ers plugging the veteran back in alongside Hufanga makes for a simple transition. But injuries are continuing to pile up for the 49ers, depleting what might be the NFL’s premier defense.

Arik Armstead will miss another game due to foot and ankle issues, while Nick Bosa is uncertain to suit up against Atlanta after suffering a groin injury in Week 5. Shanahan said Bosa has a chance to play in Week 6, though he did not practice Wednesday. Charles Omenihu is likely to start if Bosa cannot go, Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Javon Kinlaw, who has followed Ward in encountering early-career injury trouble, has missed the past two games due to lingering pain in his surgically repaired left knee. Kinlaw, who has not yet adequately filled the DeForest Buckner void for which he was drafted, is expecting to play through some pain this season.

Moseley’s injury could reopen the door for Jason Verrett, a talented player but one who has cleared the six-game barrier just twice in eight seasons. The 49ers designated Verrett for return and look to view him as a starter if he is healthy. In total, however, the 3-2 team has sustained a concerning number of injuries to start this season.

49ers CB Emmanuel Moseley Suffers Torn ACL

October 10th, 2022 at 11:53am CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 10: As feared, Mosely did indeed suffer a torn ACL yesterday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. He will now undergo season-ending surgery in advance of hitting the open market this spring.

OCTOBER 9: The 49ers improved to 3-2 on the season with today’s win over the Panthers, but they paid a heavy price for it on the injury front. A number of key players left the game early, including cornerback Emmanuel Moseley. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the contest that Mosley is believed to have suffered a torn ACL. 

ESPN’s Nick Wagoner tweets that further testing will be done in the next 24 hours to confirm the diagnosis. Assuming it is true, though, the injury would end Moseley’s season and deal a significant blow to San Francisco’s defense. 2022 has been the second straight campaign in which the former UDFA has been a full-time starter.

Mosely entered today’s game with 19 tackles and three pass breakups, putting him on pace to at least match his production in recent years. Able to play both on the outside and in the slot, he has been an effective member of the 49ers’ secondary. That earned him a two-year deal last offseason, which will see him make $4.4MM in guaranteed money this season. Heading into free agency, however, his focus will now turn to recovery.

The 49ers have a number of options available to replace Moseley. Among them is veteran Jason Verrett, who has been designated to return after starting the season on the PUP list. The 31-year-old has dealt with a myriad of injuries throughout his career, but could prove to be an effective complement to fellow starter Charvarius Ward if he is able to return to full health.

In other injury news, starting safety Jimmie Ward suffered a broken hand, as noted by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). An extended absence from him would be problematic for the 49ers’ defense, but not as much as one from star pass rusher Nick Bosa. He left the game with a groin injury, so his status will be the subject of plenty of scrutiny in the coming days. Kicker Robbie Gould, meanwhile, exited due to a knee injury.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/8/22

October 8th, 2022 at 5:42pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the roster moves for today, leading into gameday tomorrow. Reminder that gameday elevations will revert to the practice squad after this weekend’s games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

49ers S Jimmie Ward, CB Jason Verrett Return To Practice

October 5th, 2022 at 8:11pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers will soon get some reinforcement in their secondary. Safety Jimmie Ward and cornerback Jason Verrett returned to practice today, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic (on Twitter). ESPN’s Nick Wagoner tweeted yesterday that the duo was expected to return to practice. The team later announced that the duo has been designated to return.

Verrett suffered a torn ACL during Week 1 of the 2021 campaign. He landed on PUP to start the 2022 regular season, and he’ll now have three weeks to show he’s ready to return. The 31-year-old has only had one relatively healthy campaign in three-plus years with the 49ers, as he was limited to only one game in 2019 thanks to an ankle injury. He started 13 games for San Francisco in 2020, finishing with 60 tackles and a pair of interceptions.

Cornerbacks Charvarius Ward, Emmanuel Moseley, and slot Deommodore Lenoir played 100 percent of San Francisco’s defensive snaps on Monday. Verrett probably won’t knock any of them out of the starting lineup, but he’ll help provide some experienced depth at the position.

Ward suffered a hamstring injury during the preseason, landing him on injured reserve. The 2014 first-round pick struggled with injuries early in his career but has been pretty healthy recently, missing only six games for the 49ers between 2019 and 2021. Last year, he started a career-high 16 games and finished with 77 tackles and two interceptions.

Both Talanoa Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson have filled in nicely for the veteran safety to start the 2022 campaign. Hufanga, a 2021 fifth-round pick, would likely be knocked to a backup role with Ward back in the lineup, although he’s ranked as PFF’s second-best safety in the NFL this year (among 82 qualifying players).

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/1/22

September 1st, 2022 at 6:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Teams continue to tinker with their rosters after hundreds of players were cut earlier this week. We’ve tracked all of today’s minor moves below:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC West

August 31st, 2022 at 3:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These 49ers, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks moves are noted below.

Here are Wednesday’s NFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.

Arizona Cardinals

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Los Angeles Rams

Signed to practice squad:

San Francisco 49ers

Signed:

Claimed:

Placed on IR:

Released from IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Seattle Seahawks

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

  • LB Joshua Onujiogu

Placed on IR:

Reverted to IR:

Signed to practice squad:

49ers Set 53-Man Roster, Plan To Place S Jimmie Ward On IR

August 30th, 2022 at 4:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers’ 53-man roster is set, with a couple of exceptions. Multiple players included among Tuesday’s cuts will be back with the team. Some will also stick around via the practice squad. Here is how San Francisco reached the 53-man limit:

Released:

Waived:

Kroft and Willis will be on the 53-man roster soon, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, who notes (via Twitter) the two have agreed to re-sign with the 49ers. Each is a vested veteran, allowing them to skip the waiver process. A Bengals draftee, Kroft spent two seasons in Buffalo and was with the Jets in 2021. A rotational D-lineman, Willis has been with the 49ers since 2020.

These two will take the roster spots of Jimmie Ward and linebacker Curtis Robinson, who will each be placed on IR. By waiting until Wednesday to move each to IR, the 49ers will ensure Ward and Robinson can play in 2022. Ward suffered what appears to be a significant hamstring injury and will miss at least the first four games this season.

Hasty has resided as a fill-in back for the 49ers over the past two seasons; they have needed him in each. The team currently rosters Elijah Mitchell, Jeff Wilson, Trey Sermon and rookie Tyrion Davis-Price at running back. Snead and Turner signed with the 49ers this offseason; each has practice squad eligibility. Teams can carry up to six vested veterans on their 16-man taxi squads. Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy beat out Sudfeld for the 49ers’ No. 3 QB job. Offset language exists in Sudfeld’s deal, Maiocco tweets, allowing the 49ers to potentially be off the hook for the $2MM they guaranteed him.

Kyle Shanahan confirmed Tuesday that Jimmy Garoppolo — back after taking a pay cut — will be Trey Lance‘s top backup. While this would have been quite the gamble, Shanahan said Purdy would have been Lance’s backup had Garoppolo not accepted the pay cut (Twitter link via Maiocco).

49ers S Jimmie Ward Likely To Land On IR

August 25th, 2022 at 9:55pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like veteran Jimmie Ward is going to miss part of the upcoming season. ESPN’s Nick Wagoner writes that the 49ers safety is likely to land on injured reserve to start the regular season, which would knock him out for the first four games.

[RELATED: 49ers To Sign S Tashaun Gipson]

Ward originally suffered a hamstring injury back on August 14. The injury was described as “pretty bad,” and while the safety was expected to miss some time with the issue, it was uncertain if it’d extend into the regular season. It sounds like that’ll be the case, meaning Ward would miss at least one game for the sixth-consecutive season.

With that said, the 31-year-old has been healthier in recent years. After being limited to only 16 games between 2017 and 2018, Ward has missed only six contests over the past three years. He started a career-high 16 games this past season, finishing with 77 tackles, six passes defended, and two interceptions. Pro Football Focus ended up ranking him 16th among 92 qualifying safeties last season.

“He allows us to do what we do,” Lynch said (via Wagoner). “He’s a safety who plays like a safety but also covers like a corner. He’s often times our best cover man, so it’s a big loss. But we got to find a way to step up.”

Assuming Ward does miss some time, the 49ers would likely turn to former cornerback Dontae Johnson, Tarvarius Moore, or George Odum. The 49ers also recently signed safety Tashaun Gipson.

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