After spending the past three years in San Francisco, safety Antoine Bethea will hit the open market. The 49ers have announced the release of the 32-year-old. Already flush with cap space, the 49ers will add another $5.75MM in moving on from Bethea.
An 11-year veteran who spent the first eight seasons of his career in Indianapolis, Bethea has impressively started in all 162 of his appearances since entering the NFL in 2006. He’s also a two-time Pro Bowler, with one nod having come with San Francisco in 2014, and has posted 16-game seasons in eight of the past nine campaigns. The lone exception was 2015, when Bethea only logged seven appearances. He returned to health last year to log 110 tackles and a forced fumble, though his performance ranked a below-average 66th among Pro Football Focus’ 89 qualified safeties.
Bethea doesn’t have age on his side, but given his durability and playmaking prowess (19 career picks), he could draw interest on the market. He’ll join a group of free agent safeties that also includes Tony Jefferson, Duron Harmon, Barry Church and ex-Colts teammate Darius Butler, among others.
I’ve been saying I hope they release him, slide Reid over to Strong Safety Ana Ward to Free Safety. I had a few on here tell me that I was crazy and someone even told me Bathea was a great Safety. He use to be pretty when he was with the Colts but for the most part he didn’t look in San Fran. He got burned on way to many plays in my opinion and this gives us even more money to spend. I hope the 9ers are planning on bringing in a good CB. Really stoked about this off season. Good move, 9ers!
I don’t think Reid is a strong safety. Tart is the big hitter they want to emulate. I don’t think tart has enough cover skills tho. Reid is due 7 or 8 mill. He’s no stud. I think Reid may get cut
Reid is RUMORED to go to WAS along with the 1st. rnd. pick for Cousin.
CORR: COUSINS
I agree with you. Lots of money good cost saving moves. Let’s hope they pick up good players from free agency and not just band aid purchases. I’d like to see a great defense again but we would need to find another bad ass like Patrick Willis to lead the team.
IF the Cousins trade works-out the chances of getting an MLB like Willis in this year’s draft are going to be difficult because Foster will be gone and even the draft 2nd. best MLB.