The 49ers are shorthanded at safety following the 2025 NFL Draft, but a two-time Pro Bowler can step up and make an immediate impact.
The San Francisco 49ers should pick up the phone right now and give veteran safety Justin Simmons a call.
Simmons, 31 years old, remains an available free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite getting up there in age, his 2024 efforts with the Atlanta Falcons were still commendable in the wake of a lengthy tenure with the Denver Broncos that included two Pro Bowl selections and four second-team All-Pro nods.
The veteran admitted he wouldn't mind staying in Atlanta, and with the draft complete, it wouldn't be shocking to see the Falcons make an inquiry. Same with plenty of other teams that'd like safety help.
The Niners should be one of those teams.
49ers have glaring need for help at safety
San Francisco already saw its safety depth chart take a hit earlier this offseason when it lost All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga in free agency to the Broncos.
Then, in a harder twist of fate, then-rookie safety Malik Mustapha tore his ACL in the 49ers' regular-season finale, news of which didn't break until not long after the draft concluded, although the Niners had to be aware of that development way back in January.
They reacted by selecting Marques Sigle out of Kansas State in Round 5, and the defensive back's upside is reminiscent of what Mustapha displayed last season: a hard-hitting defender who won't avoid contact.
That said, it's a lot to task a rookie to come in for Mustapha, who'll likely miss a chunk of the 2025 season.
San Francisco's other options include third-year pro Ji'Ayir Brown, who struggled to the point of getting benched last year, veteran special teams ace George Odum, and offseason free-agent pickups, Jason Pinnock and Richie Grant.
It's hard to have a lot of confidence in finding a quality starting tandem out of that crop.
Simmons would be a stopgap, yes. Given the 49ers' roster reset earlier this offseason, it's fair to wonder if he'd even be interested traveling out to the West Coast, especially if other top-contending teams are prompting offers.
That said, it certainly wouldn't hurt the Niners to at least ask.
They should.