49ers Rumors: Jimmie Ward Agrees to New 3-Year, $28.5M Contract Amid Free Agency

The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly keeping defensive back Jimmie Ward in their secondary.

According to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio, the NFC West team is re-signing Ward. Caplan reported it will be a three-year deal worth $28.5 million ($9.5 million guaranteed) and noted the Las Vegas Raiders were interested.

The Northern Illinois product has been with the 49ers his entire career since they selected him with the No. 30 overall pick of the 2014 NFL draft.

The versatile Ward has experience at safety and cornerback and helped lead San Francisco to the Super Bowl last season. He tallied 65 total tackles, one sack and eight passes defended in 13 games during the regular season and notched 11 tackles and a forced fumble during the Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Durability has been something of a question mark for the 28-year-old after he appeared in seven games in 2017 and nine games in 2018, but he is a key part of San Francisco's impressive defense.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network called Ward "a priority for that defense" even with the injury history.

"It's not an easy answer, because there's a long (injury) history," general manager John Lynch told reporters before Ward signed a one-year deal with the team for the 2019 season. "But there's also a very, very talented football player who I would tell you grew into a really special leader."

Ward clearly showed the 49ers enough on his one-year prove-it deal and will look to help lead them back to the Super Bowl for a second straight season.

This adds a level of stability on the back end of the defense after the unit led the league in passing yards allowed per game last season.