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Why the 49ers should re-sign safety Eric Reid for 2018

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CA - AUGUST 23: Safety Eric Reid #35 of the San Francisco 49ers watches from the sidelines against the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth quarter of a preseason game on August 23, 2015 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers won 23-6. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - AUGUST 23: Safety Eric Reid #35 of the San Francisco 49ers watches from the sidelines against the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth quarter of a preseason game on August 23, 2015 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers won 23-6. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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The San Francisco 49ers let safety Eric Reid test the opening waves of NFL free agency, yet no suitor has been found. And here’s why the Niners would be wise to bring him back.

The San Francisco 49ers‘ top pick of the 2013 NFL Draft, safety Eric Reid, has yet to find a new team after the opening waves of free agency this offseason.

Reid, 26 years old, is a free agent for the first time in his career — the point where players usually cash in on their first big contract. Yet no suitors have been found.

There’s conjecture this has to do with Reid’s stance on social issues (Reid was one of two other players, who regularly knelt beside former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick). And Reid remained kneeling throughout the 2017 season.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

You won’t find any additional political talk here about the subject. Go explore that elsewhere, if you wish. But the Niners would be wise to bring Reid back on football reasons alone.

Here’s why.

Lack of Free-Agent Attention Benefits the 49ers

Reid counted for a cap hit of nearly $5.7 million last year. According to Spotrac.com’s market-value tool, he’s worth an annual average salary of $8.6 million for 2018.

The lack of action on the open market pretty much sums up why he won’t get this amount. And it wouldn’t be a shock to see Reid sign a team-friendly deal with San Francisco. Remember, players have to consider up and moving for an out-of-location job too.

Who knows how much that plays into discussions, but it’s safe to say the 49ers would be getting a discounted market rate.

49ers Secondary Depth Has Concerns

A lot of this is contingent on what San Francisco does over the remaining points of free agency and the 2018 NFL Draft. But while the Niners have seemed to solve some of their secondary needs, question marks about depth remain.

SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 11: Robby Anderson #11 of the New York Jets is hit by Jaquiski Tartt #29 of the San Francisco 49ers during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on December 11, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 11: Robby Anderson #11 of the New York Jets is hit by Jaquiski Tartt #29 of the San Francisco 49ers during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on December 11, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Case in point, the 49ers lost its two presumed 2018 safety starters, Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt, to season-ending arm injuries last year.

Relevant too, as Tartt was the one who took over Reid’s starting duties at strong safety last year.

Meanwhile, Ward has landed on IR in three of his first four seasons at the pro level.

The cornerback spot also carries weight here. San Francisco inked former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman to a three-year deal. But he’s coming off a serious Achilles injury and will turn 30 years old this month. If he’s not ready to go by Week 1, or suffers any setback, the likely move would be to drop Ward down to cornerback — the position he played the first three years of his NFL career.

Not mentioned yet, of course, is 2017 rookie Adrian Colbert. The seventh-round pickup surely impressed here, finishing the season with a respectable 77.6 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus.

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But if you start to look at the possible attrition, especially considering injury histories, re-signing Reid has its merits.

A Short-Term Deal to Stay Safe

It doesn’t appear as if Reid is in the Niners’ long-term plans. If he was, they’d re-sign him already.

But three of the presumed five starting defensive backs on San Francisco’s 2018 roster have notable injury concerns. Reid’s versatility to play either free or strong safety allows San Francisco to shift other players around as needed.

That’s vital. And if the contract makes sense — let’s say a one-year, $6 million deal — there’s little it would do to hurt San Francisco’s cap space this season.

Would Reid accept it? Who knows. He might not be comfortable taking a backup job, should he lose out in training camp and the preseason. If that’s the case, the one-year deal should make it relatively easy to part ways without a considerable cap hit in dead money.

Next: Predicting 49ers' starting lineup post 2018 free agency

Yet if Reid would be open to the idea, the Niners have their depth questions answered.