Safety became an issue for the 49ers last season, with Talanoa Hufanga suffering a season-ending injury on Thanksgiving. The team brought in Logan Ryan as an emergency pickup, and the versatile veteran ended up sliding into a key slot role down the stretch. Ryan has since retired, and another safety regular to close out San Francisco’s Super Bowl season is unsigned. Although Tashaun Gipson is going into an age-34 season, John Lynch said the team has engaged in talks about re-signing the veteran. Gipson has been a full-time starter in San Francisco over the past two seasons. However, the 49ers are looking at other experienced safeties.
“The safety market took a beating,” Lynch said, via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows (subscription required). “It took years to get the guys to where they were being compensated. A bunch of them got cut, so a bunch of great players are out there. It’d be foolish of us to not take a look.”
With Hufanga on the way back, the 49ers have a host of options to consider outside of Gipson. The Broncos released four-time All-Pro Justin Simmons, while the Seahawks cut Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs. Eddie Jackson and Marcus Maye are also available due to roster cuts, and Micah Hyde remains unsigned as well. This many proven options available will cut into this group’s earning potential, but it represents good news for safety-needy teams. Though, the 49ers rostering 2023 third-rounder Ji’Ayir Brown may limit their interest in spending much for a veteran.
Here is the latest out of San Francisco:
- Had the 49ers not ended the 2022 draft by selecting Brock Purdy, he would already be extension-eligible due to UDFAs only needing to play two years before being free to sign for veteran terms. The 49ers must keep the former seventh-round pick on his rookie deal through at least the 2024 season, but the Super Bowl starter did fare well via the NFL’s proven performance escalator system. Tied to an $870K base salary in 2023, Purdy nearly doubled his money via PPE earnings ($740K), ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. Purdy, 24, is tied to a $985K base salary this season; 49ers owner Jed York is already discussing the prospect of a monster extension come 2025.
- Recent signee Isaac Yiadom is set to compete for a regular job on the outside, Lynch said. Yiadom, a former Broncos third-rounder who enjoyed a quality season with the Saints after his career struggled to take off for years, will join Ambry Thomas, Darrell Luter and Samuel Womack in competing for the primary boundary job opposite Charvarius Ward. A member of that quartet impressing would allow the 49ers to move Deommodore Lenoir inside in sub-packages. Lenoir has played both outside and inside in his career; he closed last season on the outside, as Ryan patrolled the slot.
- Former Vikings third-round pick Kellen Mond worked out for the 49ers on Wednesday, Barrows adds. The Texas A&M product has been with three teams in three years. After a Vikings cut led Mond to a third-string role with the Browns, his failure to make Cleveland’s 53-man roster last year keyed a move to the Colts’ practice squad. Mond did not see any action in 2023, and the Colts did not keep him on a reserve/futures deal. The 49ers lost Sam Darnold to the Vikings but re-signed Brandon Allen and added recent Vikings starter Joshua Dobbs. While teams regularly bring four QBs into offseason programs, Mond would not seem to have much upward mobility if he caught on with San Francisco.
- A recent roster violation led the NFL to strip the 49ers of a 2025 fifth-round pick. Lynch said the penalty stemmed from (via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco) the team overpaying an unspecified player by $75K during the pandemic period. Rather than contacting the NFL about this, the 49ers’ effort to recoup the money brought on the violation.