49ers vs. Chargers: 3 players not named Trey Lance to watch

No. 3: 49ers Safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix

For better or worse, the Niners’ safety crop has already received plenty of attention leading up to the preseason, particularly in the wake of strong safety Jaquiski Tartt reaggravating the same turf-toe injury that prematurely ended his 2020 campaign.

There’s no timetable for Tartt’s return, and combined with an injured-reserve designation for fellow safety Tony Jefferson (hamstring, groin), the door is essentially wide open for Tartt’s replacement with the first-team group.

Tavon Wilson and the rookie, Talanoa Hufanga, have already made strides to be top candidates.

But the one player San Francisco fans should observe closely is the recently acquired Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, the former Green Bay Packers’ first-round draft pick who also spent time with the Chicago Bears, Washington Football Team and even the Dallas Cowboys before failing to make Dallas’ 53-man roster last year.

Clinton-Dix didn’t play in 2020 and also didn’t make his 49ers debut against Kansas City despite being signed two days before the game.

Against the Chargers, Clinton-Dix is likely to see his first run of action.

It’ll be interesting to see if Clinton-Dix proverbially tosses his hat into the ring of potential starters alongside Wilson and Hufanga, or if the one-time Pro Bowler is merely a camp body who helped round out the preseason depth chart while simultaneously pushing the other two candidates.