Jimmie Ward returning to 49ers on 1-year deal

The 49ers on Wednesday re-signed a familiar face in the secondary. They inked former first-round pick Jimmie Ward to a one-year deal worth $5 million according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Ward was a first-round pick of the 49ers in 2014. He started 31 of 51 career games, and injuries continually cut Ward’s seasons short. He played just eight games as a rookie. His only full 16-game campaign came in 2016. Then he played in 11 games, seven and nine in his final three seasons.

The 49ers can deploy Ward at a variety of positions, and he figures to factor into either the cornerback or free safety competition. He was a safety in college and only converted to corner when the 49ers drafted him.