49ers' Jimmie Ward: Will move to safety in 2017

With the 49ers opting not to draft a top-end safety in the draft, Ward (collarbone) will move to free safety in 2017, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Ward -- who was drafted as a safety in 2014 -- has been playing both as an outside and nickel corner with the 49ers over the past three seasons. With Kyle Shanahan bringing in a new 4-3 defense based off of the scheme that the Seattle Seahawks run, the 25-year-old will fill a coverage safety role similar to Earl Thomas. San Francisco is expected to pick up Ward's fifth-year rookie option, and having him listed as a safety would save the team roughly $2.5 million in cap space. If he does indeed stick at safety this season, he could see an uptick in tackles, providing a boost to his IDP value.