San Francisco 49ers defensive back Jimmie Ward probably hasn’t benefited from being switched around all over the secondary since the Niners took him No. 30 overall back in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Initially, the former collegiate safety started at nickel cornerback, then bumped outside to boundary before eventually returning to his natural free safety position. When considering how young defensive backs often struggle upon transitioning to the pro ranks, these constant switches could have been detrimental.
What’s not up for debate, however, is Ward’s injury history. The defensive back has landed on injured reserve in four of his first five seasons at the NFL level, which has caused him to miss a serious number of possible games during his career:
This reputation wasn’t helped during organized team activities, when Ward broke his collarbone.