The 49ers are in a little bit of a tough spot when it comes to navigating the safety market this offseason. It appears they have two young starters to fill out the free safety and strong safety spots with Ji’Ayir Brown and Talanoa Hufanga, but Hufanga’s torn ACL in Week 11 of last season puts a sizable twist into how San Francisco can attack the position this offseason.
Even before Hufanga’s injury last season it looked on the horizon like the 49ers were going to need some depth at the position in 2024. Brown at that point was waiting in the wings behind Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson, and veteran special teams ace George Odum is at his best when just contributing on special teams. San Francisco, assuming Gipson’s exit, was going to need some viable depth.
The issue now is what type of depth they’ll need, and what the 49ers want to do over the next couple of years at that spot.
In the short-term they have to figure out if they need to find a player capable of starting if Hufanga isn’t ready to return by the season opener. It’s hard to be super optimistic about that since he was hurt so late in the year, but it’s not impossible that he’d be on the field by early September. They’ll need depth in either event, but the quality of player they add will have to be determined by Hufanga’s prognosis.
Do they go get a veteran like Broncos safety Justin Simmons or Bills safety Jordan Poyer, both of whom were released for salary cap reasons? Or do they add a free agent from the margins who can work in as a short-term starter if Hufanga does miss time?
The draft is also an option, but that’s where the long-term piece of this puzzle falls in. Hufanga is entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2024, and his play through three seasons could earn him a deal beyond the 49ers’ budget next offseason. That would mean a relatively early pick in this year’s draft would be prudent since they’d be able to pair that player long-term with Brown.
If there’s optimism that Hufanga will re-sign, then perhaps the team would either skip a draft pick this year or use a later-round pick on a player who may or may not ultimately contribute.
There are no firm answers either way, but it would appear that a low-cost free agent on a one-year deal would make the most sense. That gives San Francisco the quality of depth they need to withstand Hufanga’s injury recovery, while also not tying them up for too many years. If they lose that free agent and Hufanga next offseason they’d be able to cross that bridge then either via free agency or the draft.
For now the lack of answers makes it hard to believe a big splash is coming for the 49ers at safety in 2024.
