The San Francisco 49ers suffered a brutal loss on Sunday in Philadelphia, and after the game, head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that things won’t be any easier for the team moving forward.
That’s because the 49ers lost safety Jimmie Ward to a fractured forearm, which puts the remainder of his season in jeopardy.
San Francisco opted to replace Ward with reserve Adrian Colbert on Sunday, but if Ward misses an extended period of time, or perhaps the 49ers’ eight remaining games, the team could decide to shift Jaquiski Tartt from strong safety to free safety and move Eric Reid back to strong safety. Reid started Sunday as a linebacker after transitioning to the position during practice this week.
“His arm was broken in some manner,” Shanahan said. “They tell me when he’s out and when he’s done. So he couldn’t come back.”
The first-year head coach did not provide a possible timeline for Ward’s recovery, but Shanahan will meet with the media in Santa Clara on Monday afternoon after San Francisco returns home.