Think back to the best San Francisco 49ers teams of your lifetime. 1984, perhaps. Maybe 1994. For those of a younger vintage like me, still to see a Super Bowl championship, it might be head coach Jim Harbaugh's early 2010s outfit that brings back warm memories.
Those units probably had a lot in common, but I'm willing to bet one of the stronger ones is a difference-maker at the safety position. The 1980s Niners had the likes of Dwight Hicks and Ronnie Lott, whereas the 90s outfits made legends out of Tim McDonald and the chicken-dancing Merton Hanks. Myself, I think of Dashon Goldson, Donte Whitner and Eric Reid.
All of the above are talented players who, crucially, could play both sides of the position, being as much a threat to take the ball away with an excellent read of the offense's play as with a bone-jarring hit.
What does this have to do with the 2025 49ers?
Nothing, as such, at least in the sense that it's not unique to this year's team. The 2025 Niners have had similar problems at safety throughout the Kyle Shanahan regime. Put simply and bluntly, their decision-making and the players put out there completely and utterly suck.
49ers have a glaring problem at safety (and it needs to be acknowledged)
It didn't start out this way.
In 2025, the 49ers have operated something of a revolving door at safety. Rookie Marques Sigle opened the season at one spot, while "solid veteran" (expect to see that phrase come up in this piece with increasing sarcasm) Jason Pinnock manned the other.
They weren't great, but they were at least getting something of the job done in San Francisco's early run, with Sigle in particular seeming to improve by the week and making a manful job of filling what was assumed to be Malik Mustapha's spot while he recovered from last year's ACL tear.
Following his return, however, Mustapha has taken Sigle's spot (who's now been granted a new identity, seemingly, as we've seen no sign of him since), while at the other spot, Ji'Ayir Brown had risen from the dead of special teams to reclaim a starting spot. This was probably no surprise to Brown, who considers himself one of the top safeties in the league, but it was to anyone else who's seen him play for the last two seasons.
That's largely been borne out in the results since. While both players have had moments, it's essentially playing a good player with an inferior version of himself. Mustapha is a frustrating player to evaluate. There's a lot to like, as he's quick to the ball, very instinctive and downhill, but he makes frequent mental mistakes and misses a lot of tackles.
Brown, meanwhile, also made a name as a "hitter" at safety but seems to have even lost that since his return to the starting lineup. He was frequently embarrassed on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, and quite frankly, looks a dead loss of a football player who is both hopeless against the run and pass. I cannot see what he does well in any way for the San Francisco.
Perhaps the most damning thing, though, is even ones who have flashed in the past like Mustapha or now-Denver Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga is that there's rarely any consistency from the position.
It seems to be splash plays or nothing, and frequently this season at least, it's been nothing.
How bad safety play is damaging 49ers defense
This puts an awful lot of strain on defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who's coverage schemes rely on sensible, thought-out safety play. Essentially, the free safety in particular (the spot currently occupied by Brown) should be an "eraser," making sure that big plays don't become explosive plays, or explosive plays don't become touchdowns. The 49ers have had that player since Eric Reid left town. And, no, Hufanga ultras, it wasn't him either, as he was a hair-tearing liability in coverage at the best of times.
All Saleh wants is someone to play the position with brains, anticipation in coverage, and solid tackling. Brown isn't it, and it shouldn't be Mustapha's role either. He's much better suited in the "flying hitter" role that first made him stand out last season.
I firmly believe that Sigle could be that guy, but the coaching staff seems to have no interest in developing him this season for whatever reason. As is somewhat typical of Shanahan's coaching staff (and by far one of my biggest frustrations with them), they seem intent on playing "solid veterans" until the bitter, bitter end, no matter how little they actually produce on the field.
There are lots of problems the 49ers defense has faced this season that have nothing to do with ineptitude: losing Fred Warner, losing Nick Bosa, even losing Mykel Williams.
But the safety problem San Francisco faces is not one of them.
It's part of a consistent pattern to put so-called "solid veterans" with tenure on the field ahead of players with actual potential.
Bouncing back from two defensive horror shows against the Houston Texans and the Rams will certainly not be easy. But good, solid safety play makes a lot of things easier. Perhaps Saleh can start by reinserting Sigle into the lineup from now on. Mental mistakes or not, a better "eraser" may cover a lot of problems.
And there's a lot of problems to cover.