The San Francisco 49ers exercised the fifth-year option on defensive back Jimmie Ward for the 2018 season, the team announced Monday.The 49ers originally selected Ward in the first round (30th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft.The 5-foot-11, 193-pound Ward has appeared in 35 games (18 starts) over his three-year career, totaling 117 tackles, 19 passes defensed, two sacks and two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown).In 2016, the 25-year-old Ward started a career-high 10 out of 11 games played and registered 64 tackles, one interception and a career-high 12 passes defensed. He also picked up his first career forced fumble and fumble recovery on special teams.Ward, who suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in December, will move to safety this season.”I was real excited with what we saw from him in camp,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Sunday. “It was the first time I’d seen him at the safety position and thought he did a very good job.”
