The San Francisco 49ers went through significant changes so far this offseason, revamping various positions. One of those is the safety rotation.
Talanoa Hufanga and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles already signed new contracts elsewhere, and Tashaun Gipson, who is an unrestricted free agent, remains unsigned. The 49ers signed Richie Grant and Jason Pinnock as their depth pieces but should seriously consider adding another competent veteran into the mix.
Fortunately for them, the perfect veteran safety is still available on the market.
Jordan Fuller should signal the end of Justin Simmons’ time in Atlanta
— Rise Up Penix (@RiseUpReader) March 19, 2025
49ers Should Target S Justin Simmons in Free Agency
Justin Simmons, who spent last season with the Falcons, is increasingly less likely to return to Atlanta for 2025. The Falcons just signed Jordan Fuller to essentially replace him and they don't have the financial means to retain the two-time Pro Bowler.
San Francisco has already targeted Simmons previously. Last offseason, Simmons was one of the last names to come off the board. Until he signed with the Falcons, Simmons reportedly drew interest from the 49ers, but the team thought the asking price was too high and they wanted to see how they could address the position in the draft.
Once the 49ers drafted Malik Mustapha in the fourth round, they decided to ride with the Ji'Ayir Brown-Mustapha backfield duo. The young defenders have solid upside, and they did well in their first seasons as a starter. Last season, however, they had Hufanga as insurance behind them, who ended up playing over 300 defensive snaps for the team. Now that he is gone, an even more experienced and competent option in Simmons should do wonders for the 49ers.
In his age-31 season, Simmons was still impactful, starting 16 games and finishing the year with two interceptions and four pass breakups, while allowing a 64.7% completion rate when targeted.