The 49ers say they're pleased with Ji'Ayir Brown. They say they like his confidence and the way he communicates on the field. They say all the right things about him.
But last week, the 49ers signed veteran safety Logan Ryan, who started 36 games at safety the past three seasons. Ryan had one foot in retirement, but signed with the 49ers mid-season anyway. Moved across the country and left his family on the east coast. Why? To be a backup? Or to take Brown's spot?
The 49ers have put Brown on notice.
Clearly, they seem optimistic about Brown's future, but this season is Super Bowl or bust, and the starting strong safety was supposed to be Talanoa Hufanga, not Brown, but Hufanga tore his ACL a few weeks ago against the Buccaneers. Brown replaced Hufanga in that game and made some big plays.
But since then, Brown has started two games with mixed results. This past Sunday against the Eagles, he missed a tackle and blew a coverage assignment -- you probably didn't notice because the 49ers won by so much, but the coaches surely did. And a few days later, the 49ers signed Ryan.
I'm sure the 49ers would love Brown to rebound and keep the starting strong safety position the rest of the season. He has been with the team since OTAs and knows the defense better than Ryan. But if Brown falters at all, don't be surprised if the 49ers give him a quick hook and play Ryan. The 49ers have too much at stake to depend on an inconsistent rookie.
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