It's not being talked about too much, but the San Francisco 49ers have a potentially bad situation at safety heading into 2025.
Already, the Niners lost two key starters from previous years, Talanoa Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson, while second-year pro Malik Mustapha is likely to start the season on the physically unable-to-perform list after suffering a torn ACL in the regular-season finale last January.
That leaves San Francisco with relatively few options, headlined by third-year pro Ji'Ayir Brown, who regressed in 2024 and was ultimately benched before undergoing offseason ankle surgery (although he's expected back by training camp). Low-key offseason free-agent pickups, such as Jason Pinnock and Richie Grant, could also help fill the void, although both are known more for their prowess on special teams.
However, what if the 49ers could ink a proven commodity of the Pro Bowl ilk?
CBS Sports links Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons to 49ers
Despite a tumultuous offseason that resulted in shedding cash spend and increasing dead money, a league-high $92.6 million, the Niners also boast $53.5 million in salary cap space, meaning they can still be players on the free-agent market.
So, understandably, CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin looked at San Francisco as a potential suitor for two-time Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons, the longtime Denver Broncos standout who spent 2024 with the Atlanta Falcons before hitting the open market again.
It's not the first time Simmons has been linked to the 49ers this offseason either.
At 31 years old, Simmons is on the downside of his career, yes. But he's only two years removed from his most recent Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro nods, and he's had a relatively clean slate of health over the bulk of his career, too, which capped off with a 62-tackle, two-interception and seven-pass-breakup 2024 campaign in Atlanta over 16 games.
Of the fit with the Niners, Benjamin wrote:
"If Simmons can't reunite with Vic Fangio in Philadelphia, perhaps he'd settle for one of Fangio's most accomplished disciples in Robert Saleh, who's back as San Francisco's coordinator after a tumultuous stint as New York Jets head coach. The 49ers spent much of the offseason shedding salary, including by letting Talanoa Hufanga sign elsewhere, but with projected starting safeties Ji'Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha both nursing injuries, a one-year partnership could make sense."
The veteran free agent is likely mulling his options, weighing fit, potential compensation, chances of winning a Super Bowl and other factors before ultimately signing.
Should Simmons be OK with a one-year deal, especially with plenty of available cash on the table, San Francisco could be a top player in his sweepstakes.
Expect the interest to heat up in the weeks counting down to training camp in late July.
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