Getty Jimmie Ward and Talanoa Hufanga of the 49ers.
Someone on the San Francisco 49ers will receive this golden opportunity in 2022: Starting opposite of a savvy veteran and captain.
Jimmie Ward has his safety spot in tact for the upcoming fall campaign. He’ll soon be joined by newcomers at cornerback Charvarius Ward and Samuel Womack via free agency and the 2022 NFL Draft, respectively.
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But there’s this added, burning question: Who starts opposite of Ward? Safeties coach Daniel Bullock let it be known to the Bay Area media last week: There’s no set starter next to the veteran coverage safety.
“It’s definitely an open competition,” Bullocks said via Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area. “We feel like we got guys at the safety position that can come in and start, that have starter experience. They might not have been a full-time starter but they all started.”
Here’s a closer look at the four who are in pursuit of the other safety spot.
Talanoa Hufanga
He’s entering his second season. But Hufanga got his feet wet last season with three starts and 15 games of action.
Here’s one example of the fiery play he brought early to the 49ers:
Talanoa Hufanga blows up the backfield. He’s gonna be a dawg at the next level. #49ers
Of course, he’s beloved among 49er fans for this game-changing play that swung the momentum the ‘Niners way in their upset over No. 1 seeded Green Bay during the postseason:
WHAT A HEADS UP PLAY BY THE ROOK @TalanoaHufanga 🤙
#SFvsGB on FOX/49ers App
Bullocks, though, revealed the biggest change in the former USC Trojan during this OTAs period.
“The biggest difference I’ve seen so far is his confidence,” Bullocks said. “Having that first year under his belt, that experience, his confidence is through the roof. He is out there communicating better than he ever has. Being that quarterback for the defense getting Jimmie lined up, I’ve seen him take a big step from a communication standpoint.”
Bullock added that Hufanga got some training in with another past USC star who ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Troy Polamalu.
“It seems like it definitely paid off,” Bullock said of Hufanga’s training with Polamalu. “He’s moving better and playing faster. I’m definitely excited about him.”
The Athletic’s Matt Barrows added that Hufanga is the current leader at strong safety in his mail bag column from May 27.
Tarvarius Moore
Moore brings a wealth of experience to the 49ers’ safety room — logging in 13 career starts from 2018 to 2020. He also has past Super Bowl experience:
Tarvarius Moore forces the pass breakup!
But the fifth-year safety is attempting his comeback from missing the entire 2021 season with an Achilles injury.
Still, Bullock likes what Moore brings to the field for the safety group.
“He brings speed, versatility, physicality,” Bullocks said. “Just his experience in the system, this will be his fifth year. He’s got that starter experience. Having him back on the field gives us depth. He’s a guy who is capable of starting and competing to start.”
George Odum
Odum is another secondary newcomer, coming over to the Bay Area via the Indianapolis Colts.
It was in Indy where he established himself as a hard-hitting safety and specialist — mostly lauded for his special teams work in going into a hunter mode when the ball was in the air on kickoffs and punts. He did show his range versus a rival of the 49ers Kyler Murray in 2021:
#49ers new S George Odum was an All-Pro Special Teams’ player in 2021.
Odum also has some experience going up against Kyler Murray 👀
Barrows listed the former Colt and 2020 Pro Bowler as the No. 2 SS behind Hufanga.
Leon O’Neal
He’s an undrafted newcomer. But the former Texas A&M star could be the most motivated out of this safety group…considering how he fell out of the draft.
He even told Aaron Wilson of the Pro Football Network following the draft “I will never, ever forget the names they called.”
O’Neal also comes to the league having gone against three Pro Bowl wideouts before: Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Jaylen Waddle — all during a time they were playing in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) with O’Neal. He added to Wilson “they all respect me.”
Overall, Bullocks is looking forward to the competition in this pivotal area of the 49ers’ defense.
“We have guys that we know can come in and start, it’s just a matter of who is going to get that full time starter role,” Bullocks said. “I look forward to the open competition. It’s going to be fun to watch and see who rises to the top.”