With 49ers OTAs in full swing, we’re taking a position-by-position look at the team’s roster to figure out the strengths, weaknesses, potential dark horses to make the team and other nuggets about the players who will be competing for jobs on the 53-man roster.
The 49ers last season saw a little bit of tumult at safety, but the position wound up becoming such a strength for their defense that they decided to run it back with the same pair of starters this year. They also spent traded up to No. 87 in the draft to pick a safety which could have an immediate impact despite the pair of incumbents returning.
New defensive coordinator Steve Wilks’ background is largely based in his work as a defensive backs coach. His experience in that area combined with San Francisco’s personnel could mean a different look at how the 49ers’ defense operates in the back end this year.
It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see them execute more three-safety looks where they can maximize the skill sets of their top defensive backs while also providing some wrinkles aimed at matching modern offenses that are trending toward more positionless looks.
Things should stay largely the same for the 49ers’ safeties this year, but those potential wrinkles could be important. Let’s look at the group of players competing for roster spots there this offseason: