The San Francisco 49ers boast one of the deepest rosters in the NFL, especially a defense that’s loaded with playmakers.
However, as Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs showed in the Super Bowl, the secondary is vulnerable to big plays in big spots.
After going through the NFL Draft without investing meaningful resources in the secondary, the safety position could be the one area San Francisco could look to upgrade in coming weeks.
Jamal Adams could be a name to watch for the 49ers as training camp and eventually the regular season loom.
“Sources said the San Francisco 49ers are one of a handful of teams who have kept in touch with Adams,” Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports. “So the Seahawks could have some competition for the former All-Pro safety, who is still just 28 years old,”
Could Jamal Adams Be a Fit for the San Francisco 49ers?
If general manager John Lynch and the 49ers are looking to take a big swing, adding Adams who previously was a stalwart in the division rival Seattle Seahawks’ defensive backfield could be a major coup.
“While Adams never truly flourished with Seattle,” Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox writes, suggesting Adams is the one signing who could lift the 49ers’ defense to new heights. “After being acquired in a 2020 trade, his positional versatility would add an intriguing dynamic to the 49ers defense. Adams is a starting-caliber box safety who can moonlight as a situational pass-rusher.
“In Adams’ lone Pro Bowl season with Seattle, he recorded an impressive 9.5 sacks. As a hybrid safety/linebacker/edge, Adams could create a few more options for new defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen—while keeping opposing quarterbacks like Mahomes guessing.”
Last season, Adams posted 48 total tackles, playing out the final year of a $72 million contract.
An ideal culture fit and at this stage of the offseason perhaps a bargain signing, Adams could be the kind of low-risk, high-reward addition the 49ers could make to elevate the defense to new heights in 2024.