3 offseason moves the 49ers must make to win the Super Bowl next year
By Mark Powell
Will the 49ers re-sign Jimmie Ward?
A loaded safety market is headlined by the likes of Jordan Poyer and Jessie Bates. San Francisco is a team built around its defense, and they could invest at a position of need. Nonetheless, losing a player like Ward who already knows their system is easier said than done.
Ward will enter his age-32 season in 2023-24. Bates, meanwhile, is just 25 years old, but will be far more expensive if the Bengals do in fact let him walk. Bates received the franchise tag last offseason. Ward’s projected market value, meanwhile, is nearly $8 million per season. If the 49ers can sign him to a short-term contract, then perhaps it’s worth keeping him in the system.
A slight upgrade, but similar play-style to Ward would be Jordan Poyer. Poyer is also over 30 years old, and will likely seek a contract over $11 million per season. His recent injury history and importance to a team like the Buffalo Bills make a fit in San Francisco unlikely.
Keeping Ward is the most logical answer here, and while it’s won necessarily be the ‘improvement’ fans are looking for, he plays too important of a role to let walk away for nothing.