The San Francisco 49ers have a laundry list of needs for this offseason, maybe too many to address all at once.
The defense will undergo some slight changes as former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh returns after a stint as the New York Jets head coach.
Nov 19, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (center) runs after a catch against San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga (right) and linebacker Fred Warner (54) during the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium.
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Saleh will want to change some personnel to better fit his scheme.
But two players already on the roster who should be targets of Saleh and the team to re-sign might not be.
SI writes that a couple of players might’ve priced their way out of Santa Clara. The first is Talanoa Hufanga:
Projected contract: Two years, $25 million
Age: 25
“Hufanga established himself as one of the best safeties in the league during his breakout 2022 season, but he’s dealt with injuries the past two seasons,” writes SI.
“He might be the odd man out in San Francisco’s secondary after the team paid cornerback Deommodore Lenoir and used a ’23 third-round pick on safety Ji’Ayir Brown. The team could also pay cornerback Charvarius Ward instead of the hard-hitting Hufanga.”
SI points out that it might be possible to keep either Hufanga OR Ward, but most likely not both. Here’s what it had to say about Ward.
Projected contract: Three years, $45 million
Age: 28
“Not many cornerbacks played better than Ward in 2023 when he helped the 49ers make the Super Bowl. But Ward is coming off a challenging season away from the football field after his daughter passed away. Ward was a bargain signing for San Francisco after agreeing to a three-year, $42 million contract with the former Chiefs standout in 2022.
“Ward, a Pro Bowler last season, started his career as an undrafted free agent for the Cowboys in ’18. “
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