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49ers S Ward breaks collarbone, out 8-12 weeks

San Francisco 49ers safety Jimmie Ward broke his collarbone diving for a ball Thursday during organized team activities and will miss eight to 12 weeks, the team announced.

That would give Ward -- who NFL Network reports will have surgery -- a chance to return early in training camp, which begins in mid July, and a good shot at being ready for the Sept. 8 regular-season opener.

A Northern Illinois product, Ward was the No. 30 overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft by the 49ers. In both 2017 and 2018, his season ended in November because of a broken arm. The 49ers re-signed him to a one-year, $4.5 million deal in March after he played out the fifth-year option of his rookie contract.

Ward has appeared in 51 games (31 starts) over five seasons and has 186 tackles, two interceptions and 21 passes defensed.

Fellow defensive back Richard Sherman gave Ward high praise for his versatility and work ethic in a story posted on the team's website just Wednesday.

"He's a great teammate, he's a great player and he's a great person," Sherman said. "He's a guy who doesn't complain very often. If you said, 'Hey, you're playing D-line today,' he'd be like, 'OK cool, where do I stand?' He's a guy who goes to work, brings his hard hat every day and gets the job done. ... He is a tremendous player."

--Field Level Media