SANTA CLARA — By the time the fifth-year option on his rookie deal expired after the 2018 season, Jimmie Ward hadn’t garnered much goodwill from the 49ers’ fanbase.
The oft-injured former first-round pick had cycled through four coaching staffs, moved from nickelback to safety to outside cornerback and back to safety. He suffered even more broken bones than he had coaches or positions.
The constant churn took as much of a toll on him mentally as the injuries did physically.
“I’m trying to move around and learn positions and learn new schemes, so that’s putting extra on my mind and my mind goes down to my body,” Ward said.