49ers Must Make This Change to Their Starting Lineup

The 49ers will improve their defense if they insert this player into the starting lineup.

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) doesn't make catch while being defended by San Francisco 49ers safety Marques Sigle (36) during the second quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Defeating the Philadelphia Eagles, especially once George Kittle went down, was surprising to see the San Francisco 49ers accomplish.

They had every reason to fold in that game or give it up in the end. Yet, every player on the team gave it their all and pulled out an impressive playoff win. 

A ton of players had strong performances to get it done, but there is one player in particular who had an extremely surprising performance. That player is rookie safety Marques Sigle. 

He had to fill in for Ji’Ayir Brown in the middle of the second quarter when Brown suffered a hamstring injury. Brown would be ruled out later on, which meant Sigle had to play the whole game.

Sigle was thrown into the fire. He hadn’t played significant snaps since Week 7 and was even a healthy scratch for a time. He could’ve easily been a liability, but he ended up being a positively impactful player.

Marques Sigle made himself undeniable 

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) is unable to make a catch as San Francisco 49ers safety Marques Sigle (36) looks on during the second quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Sigle’s performance against the Eagles in a playoff game was incredible. It was the best performance from a 49ers safety all year long. Sigle made himself undeniable from that game. 

He has to be a starter moving forward, especially against the Seattle Seahawks. Forget giving him a role. He needs to be a starter over Brown, or even Malik Mustapha. Sigle was constantly flying around in run support and held up great in coverage.

He tallied six solo tackles, one run stop, and allowed just one catch for eight yards in coverage. The stats he tallied are solid, but it doesn’t emphasize enough how sweet his performance was.

Again, Sigle hadn’t played meaningful snaps in months, was a healthy scratch, and had to get thrown into the fire on the road in a playoff game. What a job by him to be ready and not let the moment phase him.

A mentally tough player like that is exactly what the 49ers need right now. At the very least, he’s earned a moderate role on the defense, but I think the 49ers need to slide him in as the starter over Brown.

As of now, Brown is still nursing a hamstring injury, so he likely won’t play on Saturday. But even if he were healthy, Sigle should start. Sigle will be better suited against Seattle’s run game anyway. 

It’s not a tough decision to make here if you’re the 49ers. Play the rookie, and never look back.

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