Veteran safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix auditioned for the 49ers yesterday, and it apparently went well. He’ll be signing a deal with San Francisco, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Clinton-Dix also had a workout with the Colts last week, and tried out for the Panthers back in June. Now with training camps well underway, he finally found a home. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan “did not sound optimistic” when discussing the health of fellow safety Jaquiski Tartt yesterday, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports tweets, which could help explain this signing.
Tartt is still recovering from a turf toe injury he suffered last season. The 21st overall pick of the 2014 draft, Clinton-Dix spent his first five pro seasons in Green Bay. He made the Pro Bowl, and was a second-team All-Pro, with the Packers in 2016. Traded to Washington midway through the 2018 campaign for a fourth-round pick, he then was with Chicago in 2019 where he started all 16 games.
Even though he had started 16 games for five straight seasons he didn’t have a super hot market last offseason, eventually signing a one-year, $3.75MM deal with Dallas. Despite having a couple million in guarantees the Cowboys cut him right before the start of the season and he spent the rest of the year out of football.
Clinton-Dix is still only 28, so he should be in good shape physically. It’s not a bad depth signing at this stage in the process for the 49ers.
Clinton-Dix fell fast after his early years in Green Bay. He could cover at his height, but he had tackling issues and sometimes seemed to go easy on plays. When he was on, Clinton-Dix was one of the better cover safeties in the league with his range over the top. His year in Chicago wasn’t bad, either, but his lack of physicality forced Eddie Jackson to play more in the box. Clinton-Dix was still good over the top, but he needs to be more of a willing tackler to be a long term player. It’ll be interesting to see if he can be that player again in San Francisco.
You can get some mileage from once being a 1st round pick and having played at Alabama but I expect him to bounce around and have a few more jerseys in his closet when he finally calls it quits.
I agree, lemon. His pedigree does help him, but he’s had some success to mix with that. I do think Clinton-Dix could still contribute, but he also likely would require a team to play its other safety down low to help compensate. Depends on the roster, I suppose. I could have seen him in Seattle behind Adams, for instance, allowing Adams to play closer to the LoS where he has been excellent.
And thank you, ghostrobot.
Great insight