Packers host free agent safety Tarvarius Moore for visit
By Paul Bretl
According to the NFL transaction wire on Thursday, the Green Bay Packers had in free agent safety Tarvarius Moore for a visit.
Moore is a former third-round pick out of Southern Mississippi in the 2018 NFL Draft by San Francisco. He stands 6’1,” weighs 199 pounds, and posted an elite Relative Athletic Score of 9.22, including a 4.32-second 40-yard dash.
Moore has spent his entire career with the 49ers, and has played 1,073 defensive snaps during that span, including 13 starts. The bulk of his playing time has come as a traditional free safety, but Moore also has experience in the box and the slot.
The most snaps he played in a single season came in 2020 with 541. That year, Moore made 45 of his 52 tackle attempts and logged 15 stops. In coverage, he gave up 12 completions on 16 targets at 15.5 yards per catch with a pass breakup, according to PFF ($$).
He would miss the entire 2021 season with an Achilles injury. Then in this most recent season, Moore played just 60 total defensive snaps.
Safety is one of the biggest needs on this Packers team. Green Bay needs both depth and playmaking at this point. Unfortunately, they do not have a ton of salary cap space to capitalize on a good free agent class, and the incoming draft class is lacking high-end talent.
If signed, Moore may have the opportunity to earn some defensive snaps over the summer, but where his impact could be felt the most is on special teams. With the Niners, Moore had nearly 1,200 career special teams snaps, playing on a variety of units. He finished sixth on the 49ers in special teams snaps in 2022 and logged four tackles.
A factor in the Packers’ special teams turnaround last season was that Brian Gutekunst made special teams-specific additions. This included players like Rudy Ford, Keisean Nixon, Dallin Leavitt, and Eric Wilson. The addition of Moore would have a similar feel.
At this time, Moore has not been signed, and if he is, it shouldn’t alter how the Packers approach the safety position for the remainder of free agency or in the draft. It will still be a big need.