Niner Noise
FanSided

5 remaining free agents the 49ers can still target in 2019

By Peter Panacy

DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 27: Ezekiel Ansah #94 of the Detroit Lions tackles Bruce Ellington #10 of the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL game at Ford Field on December 27, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions defeated the 49ers 32-17. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 27: Ezekiel Ansah #94 of the Detroit Lions tackles Bruce Ellington #10 of the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL game at Ford Field on December 27, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions defeated the 49ers 32-17. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – JANUARY 06: Adrian Phillips #31 of the Los Angeles Chargers celebrates after intercepting a pass by Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens during the second quarter in the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 06, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – JANUARY 06: Adrian Phillips #31 of the Los Angeles Chargers celebrates after intercepting a pass by Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens during the second quarter in the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 06, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

No. 4: Safety Adrian Phillips

Like Bryce Callahan, it’s a bit shocking to not see a lot of interest out there surrounding 26-year-old safety Adrian Phillips.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

Phillips, who earned his first Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro accolades in 2018, should be retained by the upstart Los Angeles Chargers, especially considering the dynamic pairing he formed with then-rookie Derwin James a year ago.

Yet, for whatever the reason, the Chargers haven’t made recent overtures to re-sign him.

The 49ers missed out on high-profile free-agent safety Earl Thomas, who eventually signed on with the Baltimore Ravens. That would have been a perfect scheme fit, yet some may argue the younger and less injury-prone Phillips would be a better long-term option. Cheaper, too.

It isn’t as if San Francisco is without need here. Last season, free safety Adrian Colbert went through a massive regression. And despite re-signing Jimmie Ward, the team has to be concerned about his notable injury history — landing on injured reserve in four of his first five years at the NFL level.

The versatile Phillips has experience playing in a similar Cover 3 single-high safety scheme as the Niners run. The Chargers, under defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, employ a similar system, making a possible pickup of Phillips a sensible one for San Francisco.