Wide receiver or the defensive line have typically popped up as two of the San Francisco 49ers' most pressing needs this offseason, and neither presents a bad argument.
But one might argue the Niners' have a sneakier need within their secondary, looking to add either a shutdown cornerback or a playmaking safety to help transition what's been an OK defensive backfield, at best, into a truly elite one.
Should San Francisco pursue such an option via free agency, it can actually improve its own roster while hurting that of a chief NFC West rival.
The Seattle Seahawks twice proved their superiority over the 49ers in the span of three weeks, defensively dominating quarterback Brock Purdy and Co. in Week 18 and in the divisional round of the playoffs, holding them to a combined nine points. An elite defense under head coach Mike Macdonald paved the way, so it wouldn't exactly be a shocker to see teams like the Niners aim to pluck away some of that talent if it becomes available.
As for Hawks safety Coby Bryant, it might just be the case.
49ers can target Coby Bryant to upgrade their secondary while hurting Seattle's
Retaining talent, especially on defense, is difficult for any Super Bowl team, so keeping a pending free agent like Bryant on the books into 2026 will be pressing.
Especially after his impressive two-year span that included seven interceptions and five passes broken up.
So, it's no shock ESPN included him on the list of 50 best free agents heading into the offseason. And while his name won't be quite as recognizable as some of the other names, he'd certainly be a major upgrade over what San Francisco has rostered now, Ji'Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha. Besides, both of those two are better suited for in-the-box work rather than atop the defensive formation.
Bryant, meanwhile, is scheme-versatile and has shown no issues being rangy as a deep-field defensive back.
Unlike cornerbacks, safeties typically don't command massive free-agent contracts, and Over the Cap valued his the 26-year-old's 2025 campaign at just over $10 million, which is affordable enough for a cash-conscious franchise like the 49ers to absorb.
In doing so, they'd not only solve one of their own defensive shortcomings but also would ensure Seattle's defense takes a hit.