2018 NFL free agency: Predicting which players the 49ers re-sign or let walk
By Peter Panacy
Safety Eric Reid
Out of all the players on the 49ers roster, it might make the most sense to place the franchise tag on safety Eric Reid.
Reid, after all, is a locker-room leader and seemed to be a natural fit at strong safety down in the box — a change of position made in 2017 under coordinator Robert Saleh.
Reid lost his starting duties to Jaquiski Tartt, after the former suffered a short-term injury early in the year, only to gain it back when Tartt suffered a broken arm that landed him on IR. Reid’s 81.4 overall Pro Football Focus grade was second within San Francisco’s secondary, only behind Tartt (85.7), and Reid’s ability to play both free and strong safety spots makes him a good piece to have.
Especially considering Tartt and fellow safety Jimmie Ward both have injury histories now, and one-year pro Adrian Colbert needs to prove himself in a starting role over an entire season.
Still, it appears to be a long shot to see the 49ers re-sign Reid. With Jimmy Garoppolo contract talks growing increasingly complex (more on that in a moment), the Niners will likely save their franchise tag for their quarterback.
Not Reid.
Prediction: The 49ers won’t bring Eric Reid back to play a backup role, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him land with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, who’ll need to find a replacement for strong safety Kam Chancellor (neck).