The Niners could have a free agent signee start at safety in 2025.
The San Francisco 49ers are just a few weeks away from training camp, where battles will start to ensue as newcomers look to make their mark ahead of the regular season.
One of those newcomers who could be entrenched in a battle is free agent safety signee Jason Pinnock, who joined the 49ers on a one-year deal worth $2.2 million.
Pinnock is joining a safety room with quite a few unknowns. Starter Talanoa Hufanga is no longer on the team after signing a three-year deal with the Denver Broncos. Other starter Malik Mustapha is likely to begin training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list after tearing his ACL in the season finale last season.
Elsewhere, former third-round pick Ji’Ayir Brown will look to reclaim a starter spot after getting benched for Mustapha last season. He’s also recovering from an injury but is expected to be back for training camp.
So, there’s quite a bit of opportunity for safeties to step up, and the 49ers made sure available competition was in the room. In addition to signing Pinnock, San Francisco added Richie Grant on a one-year deal, while drafting fifth-rounder Marques Sigle and retaining special-teams ace George Odum.
Regardless, Pinnock knows what his end goal is with the 49ers, as he returns to a spot of familiarity, despite joining a new defense.
“Hopefully, I’m a Day 1 starter,” Pinnock said, via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco. “I think that’s what everybody hopes to do; that’s what I hope to do. But not only that, I look at myself as an All-Pro-type of guy. That’s what I came here to do. That’s what I came to show the league.”
Pinnock spent the first season of his career with the New York Jets after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft under head coach Robert Saleh. He was initially drafted as a cornerback, but was released after one season and moved to safety with the New York Giants.
“It was humbling,” Pinnock said about being released after one season in the NFL. “It was humbling, but my pops is big on ‘It’s a blessing in disguise.’ I don’t think I would’ve fell into a system like with [former Giants defensive coordinator Wink] Martindale, where I figured out like, ‘Wow, I can blitz.’ That introduced that portion into my game.”
Now, Pinnock is looking to be an all-around safety for the 49ers and show off his ballhawk skills in addition to the blitzing and tackling.
“I think I’ve shown I can pressure, I can tackle, good in space,” Pinnock continued. “I got to go show these attributes in my ball skills – you know, something that got me drafted, basically. Show people I’m a ball-hawk.”
Now, after three years, he’s reunited with Robert Saleh, albeit at a different position, as he looks to make the right jump in his career.
“I wanted to go somewhere comfortable, man. I’m comfortable in this system. I switched positions rookie year, and I’ve seen three different coordinators since then. I just wanted some continuity. [I have a] great relationship with [Robert] Saleh – knew his system, loved his system, and I wanted to get back.”
The safety room seems wide open heading into training camp. If Pinnock can show those skills on the field, he could be on the fast track to earning a Day 1 starting job.