No 49ers reunion with Jaquiski Tartt, who signs with Eagles

The thought of the 49ers re-signing veteran safety Jaquiski Tartt late this offseason disappeared in the wake of him joining the Eagles.

Perhaps the San Francisco 49ers never had any intention of re-signing veteran safety Jaquiski Tartt after letting him test the free-agent market earlier this offseason.

Although it was an idea. And even though the last major memory most Niners fans had of San Francisco’s second-round pick from the 2015 NFL Draft was his dropped would-be interception in the waning minutes of the 2022 NFC Championship game, that gaffe doesn’t overshadow the fact Tartt was a quality member of the team’s defensive backfield when healthy.

Heck, Tartt even alluded to the possibility of returning:

Now, though, we likely know what Tartt meant. He wasn’t coming back to the 49ers.

He was going to join the Philadelphia Eagles instead.

Eagles signing Jaquiski Tartt to a one-year deal

Philly has had itself a pretty remarkable offseason, highlighted by both a notable NFL Draft and by landing former Tennessee Titans standout wide receiver A.J. Brown via a draft-day trade.

Moves like these will make life much easier on quarterback Jalen Hurts, and it’s not hard to view Philadelphia as a top contender in the NFC East, certainly giving the Dallas Cowboys a notable challenge for the division crown.

Now, the Eagles can count upon Tartt to round out the secondary:

Perhaps this was a lone remaining weakness on an otherwise stout Philly defense. And it’ll be interesting to see if the Niners’ decision not to retain him will be justified.

How will 49ers cope without Jaquiski Tartt?

Tartt, along with fellow defensive backs Jimmie Ward and Dontae Johnson, was one of San Francisco’s longest-tenured players and predated the current regime of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.

However, late in the 2021 NFL Draft, the 49ers appeared to have selected Tartt’s heir apparent, former USC safety Talanoa Hufanga, who has been given almost all the first-team reps during organized team activities and mandatory minicamp.

That trend will likely continue into training camp, although the Niners may factor in fellow defensive back Tarvarius Moore and offseason additions, George Odum and Leon O’Neal Jr., into the mix as well.

Hufanga appears to have made notable strides since his rookie year, particularly in pass coverage, yet his straight-line speed is still a question mark. Moore, meanwhile, missed all of 2021 with a torn Achilles, while Odum has primarily been a special teams ace over his four-year career thus far.

O’Neal is an undrafted free agent.

Perhaps this approach will pay off for San Francisco, especially if Hufanga makes a massive leap from year one to year two.

If not, the 49ers may end up sorely missing Tartt’s presence despite that missed interception opportunity last February.