The San Francisco 49ers signed veteran safety Tashaun Gipson Sr. to a one-year contract on Monday.
Gipson gives the 49ers insurance at the safety position, where starting free safety Jimmie Ward is in danger of missing Week 1 because of a hamstring injury.
“There’s a chance,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said last week when asked if Ward was in danger of missing the opener. “It was a pretty bad hamstring injury. … We’ll see here over the next couple of weeks how it plays out.”
Gipson, 32, played the past two seasons for the Chicago Bears, starting all 28 games he appeared in and intercepting four passes. He started mostly at strong safety with Chicago but has started several seasons at free safety during his career.
A 10-year veteran, Gipson has 27 interceptions, 57 passes defended and 563 tackles in 140 games (132 starts).
The 49ers also have veterans George Odum and Tarvarius Moore as options to replace Ward if his injury lingers into the regular season.
Wide receiver Austin Mack was waived/injured in a corresponding move on Monday and will revert to injured reserve if he goes unclaimed on waivers.
ESPN’s Nick Wagoner contributed to this report.