49ers' Latest Signing Finally Reinforces the Safety Position

Finally, the San Francisco 49ers are addressing the safety position. They are reportedly signing Ashtyn Davis, formerly of the Miami Dolphins, to help reinforce the position.

To make room for Davis, the 49ers are cutting running back Jemar Jefferson. Davis is a former 2020 third-round draft pick of the New York Jets.

He spent the first six years of his career with them before signing with the Dolphins in 2025. In his 84 career games played, he's tallied 240 total tackles, nine interceptions, and 19 passes defended.

Why the 49ers signed Ashtyn Davis

Adding a safety is a no-brainer for the 49ers. Going into 2026 with just Ji'Ayir Brown, Malik Mustapha, and Marques Sigle as the top three players is a recipe for disaster.

Even John Lynch knows it. During a post-draft press conference, he admitted that the 49ers would've liked a safety, but that the opportunity didn't present itself.

They've known that signing a safety was necessary. And if Davis doesn't pan out, at least the 49ers can know they tried to boost the position. The current guys they have can't cut it, especially not Brown.

Mustapha and Sigle still have the hope of bouncing back and being developed. But as of now, neither of them is an adequate starter that they can feel confident in.

Another reason the 49ers signed Davis is that there could be an injury at the position. Maybe one of Brown, Mustapha, or Sigle sustained an injury.

Dec 22, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; San Francisco 49ers safety Ji'Ayir Brown (27) celebrates after a play against the Indianapolis Colts with teammates in the first quarter of the game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Sometimes when a player is randomly signed to a team during OTAs, it's because an injury occurred. The 49ers did that last week when they signed running backs Jordan Mims and Jefferson.

Isaac Guerendo tore his pectoral muscle in the last month, so the 49ers needed to fill his spot for OTAs. That could be the case with Davis' addition.

He's unlikely to help drastically resolve the concerns at safety. Last season, he started 12 games, which is the most he has started in a season, recording 63 tackles, one interception, and allowing two scores.

And if he's just a fill-in for an injury, even more so. Still, it doesn't change the fact that safety is a massive concern for the 49ers.

They better hope that defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is the key to getting the safeties to perform better. Otherwise, they will have a clear weakness for offenses to attack.

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