It appears to be a foregone conclusion the San Francisco 49ers won't re-sign or extend fourth-year safety Ji'Ayir Brown once his rookie contract expires at the end of 2026.
There's a chance he might not see the end of that contract either, depending on how well (or poorly) things go between now and the regular season.
Brown, the Niners' top pick from their now-infamous 2023 NFL Draft class, has shown the occasional flash of greatness, including a multi-interception game against the Carolina Panthers last year. Yet those have been overshadowed by inconsistencies and even a late-season benching the season prior.
A new defensive coordinator, Raheem Morris, who has extensive experience coaching defensive backs, might be a good ally for the embattled Brown, who played better under the last San Francisco coordinator who specialized in defensive backs, Steve Wilks. Yet Morris might not be overly enthusiastic about what Brown has to offer.
And that could be just one of several reasons why Brown's roster spot could be in jeopardy.
49ers may have run out of patience with Ji'Ayir Brown by end of training camp
The 49ers were hopeful Brown could turn a page entering 2025, given it was his third year in the league. Yet he allowed a career-worst 102.4 passer rating when targeted and surrendered four touchdowns in the process—not exactly the kind of growth needing to be seen.
But the Niners did little to add safety competition this offseason; undrafted rookie Jalen Stroman and a free-agent afterthought, Ashtyn Davis, were brought aboard to beef up the back end of the depth chart in training camp.
Davis, a six-year veteran with 34 starts under his belt, might be Morris' preference to start at safety alongside fellow defensive back Malik Mustapha, though. And if Brown subsequently struggles in camp and/or the preseason, it might be one knock against him too many.
Should that happen, San Francisco might be inclined to make Brown part of its pre-Week 1 roster cuts, especially if other cuts across the league provide Morris with another likable replacement.
On the polar end of the spectrum, Brown can hope Morris' presence helps revitalize his otherwise inconsistent career, earning a starting job in the process and at least keeping his 49ers tenure safe for the duration of 2026.
Probably not beyond, though.
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