Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
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(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The San Francisco 49ers added veteran players this offseason as the team is looking to win now. Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, and the return of Dre Greenlaw are among the players the Niners hope will help them win this upcoming 2026 NFL season.
Nonetheless, one concern about the 49ers‘ defense is at safety. With the NFL Draft coming at the end of April, there’s a chance for San Francisco to fill that need. However, former Niners star Donte Whitner believes the front office should go with a veteran rather than rely on a rookie.
Moreover, Whitner states that former Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons safety Justin Simmons, who is currently a free agent, makes sense for the Niners.
“You have to really be an anomaly to be a rookie safety that can come in and handle the communication capabilities that it’s going to take to play a championship defense,”Whitner said about signing Simmons in a April 2 video from the “Grit Code Podcast.”
“I do think a young safety can come in, be physical, play some man, but I don’t think he can be the quarterback of the defense… You gotta win now. We don’t need no rookie safety.”
Simmons drew interest from several teams last summer, but the two-time Pro Bowler ended up sitting out the whole season. Nonetheless, the 32-year-old hasn’t ruled out continuing his career.
“I’m still a free agent, looking to play for a contender, and we’ll see where that ends up,” Simmons said on his podcast,The Weekly Cut.
49ers Insider Also Floats Justin Simmons as Potential Fit for Niners
Whitner isn’t the only one floating Simmons’ name to the 49ersas David Lombardi, who covers the 49ers for the SF Standard, shared his thoughts on the Niners possibly pursuing Simmons.
“The 49ers need to add a safety, and Justin Simmons, the former All‑Pro, still wants to play,”Lombardi said on March 28 on his YouTube channel. “… The safety free‑agent market is rough, and I agree with Richard Sherman. I do think that the 49ers still need to bolster that position…Somebody like Justin Simmons is out there, but Simmons has not played in over a year.
“In 2024, he was playing under Raheem Morris, who’s now the 49ers defensive coordinator. He played for $7.5 million guaranteed for the Atlanta Falcons, but his missed‑tackle rate was 19.8 percent. He missed a career‑high 16 tackles. It was not a good year for Justin Simmons, whose best career year was way back in 2019 for Denver. And a lot of these veteran safeties are still out there.”
John Lynch Talks Joey Bosa Amid Speculation
Moreover, another veteran who has been in the speculation mill is pass rusher Joey Bosa, who spent last season with the Buffalo Bills. While seeing the older Bosa play with his younger brother,Nick Bosa, would be interesting, 49ers general manager John Lynch put cold water on that speculation.
“I know that would make Mama Bosa happy, but I don’t know if we can afford him,” Lynch said (h/tDavid Lombardi of the SF Standard).