The 49ers are without safeties Talanoa Hufanga and George Odum for the rest of the year, meaning they'll need to add at least one more to the 53-man roster.
The San Francisco 49ers have lost two of their best safeties in as many weeks, Talanoa Hufanga to a torn ACL in Week 11 and George Odum to a torn biceps in Week 12.
Odum, a key special teams ace, suffered his injury in the Niners' Thanksgiving Day victory over the Seattle Seahawks, and an MRI confirmed the injury would likely be of the season-ending variety with an "outside shot" of returning late in the postseason.
With two safeties down for the count, San Francisco needs to act fast and replenish the depth.
Hufanga's replacement is already on the 53-man roster in rookie Ji'Ayir Brown, who has performed well enough to suggest he won't be a liability. But that's where the depth matters.
Here are five safeties whom the 49ers can (and should) call upon to help beef up the depth chart again.
No. 5: Tayler Hawkins (49ers practice squad)
The first option on this list might actually be the best, and that'd be promoting safety Tayler Hawkins up from the practice squad.
Hawkins, a 2022 undrafted free agent who spent his first season at the pro level on the Niners practice squad, impressed enough during both preseason campaigns to have an outside shot at making San Francisco's 53-man roster.
If anything, he was just a victim of the numbers game.
Now, with two spots open, and Hawkins also boasting special teams experience from his collegiate days, getting the promotion to the 53-man roster might be the smart way to go.
It would also mark his first venture into regular-season play at the NFL level.
No. 4: Myles Hartsfield (free agent)
Tayler Hawkins is the only safety the 49ers currently have on their practice squad, but they could opt for a reunion with a player who was vying for one of those 53-man roster spots last offseason, defensive back Myles Hartsfield.
Hartsfield was a hand-picked offseason free-agent addition by defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who wanted to bring the 26 year old over from the Carolina Panthers. Yet it was a bit of a shock when Hartsfield ultimately failed to make the 53-man roster despite having an ally in Wilks, although one could argue he, too, was a victim of the numbers game.
Still, provided Hartsfield has kept himself in shape after sitting out from play since roster cuts, it'd likely be an easy addition on the cheap.
And there'd be the added bonus of Hartsfield already knowing Wilks' defensive tendencies and having a small amount of chemistry with others on the Niners defense.
No. 3: Will Parks (free agent)
Luckily, San Francisco isn't seeking out full-time starters who can deliver at a Pro Bowl level. Talanoa Hufanga was a starter, but Ji'Ayir Brown replaces him. And George Odum was primarily a special teams ace.
So, in looking at players who primarily contribute on the third phase of the game, free-agent defensive back Will Parks could be an easy fit.
The 29-year-old journeyman has bounced around the league quite a bit over his career, including recent stops with the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets.
While the bulk of his field time was on special teams, working under head coach Robert Saleh's defensive system could aid in his acclimation to joining the 49ers and their own defense.
Should Parks be called upon to play defense, that is.
No. 2: C.J. Moore (free agent)
If the Niners are searching out strictly for a George Odum replacement, going after former Detroit Lions safety C.J. Moore wouldn't be a bad idea.
The 27-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss cut his teeth on Detroit's special teams over the last four years before going unsigned in 2023 NFL free agency. And while he's not the most experienced veteran on the defensive side of the ball, having just one start over his four-year career, he has done plenty of work on the third phase of the game.
In total, he has 1,078 snaps on special teams. That's a lot.
Moore, like most free agents at this point in the year, would also come awfully cheap and would likely sign for a non-guaranteed prorated veteran's minimum contract.
If that's what it takes to bolster the depth chart, no sweat.
No. 1: Landon Collins (free agent)
San Francisco could be seeking more than just a special teams fill-in to replace George Odum, and considering the attrition the team has had at safety, it wouldn't hurt to grab a former full-time starter with some star power to his name.
At 29 years old, it's a bit of a wonder why former New York Giants and Washington Commanders safety Landon Collins is unsigned, although recent injuries have certainly played a major role.
Still, a team like the 49ers wouldn't be targeting Collins to immediately fill a starting job. No, they'd be asking the three-time Pro Bowler to serve as a key reserve in case someone like Ji'Ayir Brown or Tashaun Gipson suffered some sort of debilitating injury.
Plus, at this point in his career, Collins has to be hoping for a chance to chase a Super Bowl ring, right?
If he's willing to onboard inexpensively, the safety-needy Niners may be his best option.