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NFL Free Agency: 10 Big-Name Players the 49ers Should Target in 2017

By Peter Panacy

Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 27, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals safety Tony Jefferson (22) against the Green Bay Packers at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 27, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals safety Tony Jefferson (22) against the Green Bay Packers at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 10: Safety Tony Jefferson

Safety might not be a pressing need for San Francisco. But adding a player like Arizona Cardinals safety Tony Jefferson certainly could help.

He’s the type of guy who can line up all across the field — over the top, on the outside and in the box for active run defense.

Jefferson will get a substantial raise from his $1.671 base salary in 2016. And if the 49ers land a proactive defensive coordinator this offseason, Jefferson might be the perfect fit in the Niners defense.

Why He Fits

Veteran safety Antoine Bethea will turn 33 years old this upcoming season. And it’s not far removed from possibility the 49ers cut him before Week 1. Fellow safety Jaquiski Tartt regressed in 2016, and he never quite filled the role of a hybrid linebacker.

Moving defensive back Jimmie Ward from corner to safety might negate this need. But the addition of a player like Jefferson could keep Ward in a cornerback spot for the foreseeable future.

And, at 24 years old, Jefferson has yet to hit his prime.