- Aug 19, 2014
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Colin Kaepernick Verified account
@Kaepernick7
Congrats @CoachJim4UM for the 10 win season and the huge bowl victory!
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Colin Kaepernick Verified account
@Kaepernick7
Congrats @CoachJim4UM for the 10 win season and the huge bowl victory!
Coach Harbaugh @CoachJim4UM 3m3 minutes ago
Coach Harbaugh Retweeted Colin Kaepernick
Thanks, Kap! Much appreciated, means a lot! All the best in 2016!
[h2]Whoa, Ward: 49ers CB finishing second season in shut-down mode[/h2]
In late September, Jimmie Ward was a former first-round pick with second-string status.
Instead of playing the nickel cornerback role he held as a rookie in 2014, he was playing sparingly. He logged just 29 percent of the defensive snaps in the first three games and was surrounded by injury questions: He had returned to practice in mid-August after undergoing the second surgery on his right foot since he’d left Northern Illinois.
In other words, he looked far more like a botched pick than budding star.
Four months later, however, defensive coordinator Eric Mangini was asked Thursday to highlight some young players he was excited about given their performance this season.
“Well,” Mangini began, “one guy that stands out right away is Jimmie Ward.”
Yes, Mr. Bust could be a bona-fide pick after all.
After reclaiming his nickel cornerback role in Week 4, Ward has steadily improved, to the point where he’s been in shut-down mode down the stretch. In the past four weeks, Ward has allowed a 44.6 passer rating when targeted, which ranks seventh of 109 cornerbacks over that span, according to Pro Football Focus. He has also been targeted just once in every 9.7 coverage snaps, which ranks second of 80 cornerbacks.
His four-week stretch began with his first career interception, which he returned 29 yards for a touchdown, in a 26-20 overtime win over the Bears on Dec. 6.
On Thursday, Mangini said Ward’s on-field performance had plenty to do with off-the-field effort. Ward is a film-studying junkie who is known to huddle with secondary coach Tim Lewis on plane flights to ensure he can ace his assignments.
“Over the course of his career, that approach is going to serve him really well and as he builds up experience and reps with that work ethic,” Mangini said. “He’s got a chance not just to make plays on ability; he’s going to make plays because the whole game slows down. So I’ve loved that about him.”
Ward is clearly getting quite comfortable in the slot, but he’ll likely move to foreign territory Sunday in the regular-season finale against the Rams at Levi’s Stadium. Ward is expected to shift to safety because rookie Jaquiski Tartt is doubtful with a knee injury.
Ward was a safety in high school and college, but hasn’t played the position in a regular-season NFL game. Given his inexperience, he expects to stay busy against St. Louis.
“I expect the quarterback to look at me the majority of the time to see if I’m going to give a look away,” Ward said. “Because, you know, it’s my first time playing safety. I’m pretty sure he’ll hear about it ... And I’m pretty sure they’re going to try me - take a couple shots. I’m a nickel. I’m sure they’re probably going to run toward my side, too. So I’m looking forward to it.”
Ward is also looking forward to down time in the offseason, which will allow him rest of his right foot. Ward has had two surgeries on his foot in the past 21 months and has worn a plastic orthotic inside his cleat this season. Ward said he’d been told he can ditch the device in 2016, but he acknowledged he may never be completely pain-free during his career.
“It’s just like tearing a piece of paper and taping it back up,” Ward said. “You’ll never get the same piece of paper. In this offseason, I’ll try to get help and have all the pain massaged out. Hopefully, when next year comes rolling around, it will be close to 100 percent.”
The injury is part of the reason for Ward’s slow start this season. He played extensively on special teams, but logged just 54 of 185 defensive snaps in the first three games. The 49ers went back to Ward after the secondary was torched in back-to-back blowout road losses to Pittsburgh and Arizona.
“I wasn’t really mad,” Ward said. “I was disappointed. I knew I was going to get my shot again. And I just really had to make the most of it.”
somewhere jed is furious
Coach Harbaugh @CoachJim4UM
3m3 minutes ago
Coach Harbaugh Retweeted Colin Kaepernick
Thanks, Kap! Much appreciated, means a lot! All the best in 2016!
this agent know something we dont?
DEC Management@davidcanter
Monday Miami Giants Colts Browns Eagles 49ers Titans Chargers(?) & Lions all start the official search for new head coaches - what a Biz
@DeSimone_80 39 minutes ago
List of potential HCs via @AlbertBreer: T. Austin, Gase, Holmgren, Hue, B Kelly, C Kelly, McDaniels, McDermott, Saban, Shanny, Shaw, Shula
@DeSimone_80 38 minutes ago
There's enough here to take a chance on another direction. Harbaugh's a once in a generation coach, so can't wait for that caliber guy again
Tim Kawakami @timkawakami 11m11 minutes ago
Tim Kawakami Retweeted Max Parker
Who survives, Baalke or Tomsula. If that's what this is coming down to. And I think it might be.
Tim Kawakami @timkawakami 22m22 minutes ago
49ers news or lack of news hasn't leaked to a national reporter yet? The Paraag Marathe era is truly over.