49ers to sign Super Bowl-winning DB

Ryan brings extensive experience at safety and cornerback. While Ryan has spent the bulk of the 2020s at safety, the former Patriots third-round pick began his career with several seasons at corner. The 49ers pursued several corners at the trade deadline but did not add anyone. They also sustained a major loss in the secondary last month, losing All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga for the season.

In addition to Hufanga, the 49ers are without veteran backup and special-teamer George Odum. The latter suffered a biceps injury in Week 12. Both players are on IR, depleting the NFC West leaders’ depth at the position. While this has not affected San Francisco’s post-bye surge, the team has reeled off its most recent win streak with a thin safety corps.

Entering Tuesday morning, the 49ers had only two safeties — starters Tashaun Gipson and Ji’Ayir Brown, a third-round rookie — on their 53-man roster. Ryan may well have agreed to a practice squad deal, common practice under the current CBA that has brought expanded P-squads, but he appears poised to play soon. The 49ers added ex-Raiders and Falcons starter Erik Harris to their P-squad last week and used him in Week 13, calling him up as a gameday elevation against the Eagles. Harris is back on San Francisco’s practice squad.

Ryan played in nine games with the Bucs last season, spending part of the campaign on IR. A foot injury sidelined Ryan for an extended period last year, but he returned in December to help the Bucs hang on for the NFC South title. Prior to Ryan’s Tampa stay, he spent two seasons with the Giants. Ryan signed with the Giants late during the 2020 offseason and secured an extension later that year. After being part of a safety corps that also housed Jabrill Peppers and Xavier McKinney, Ryan received his walking papers during the 2022 offseason.

The Titans also cut Ryan, moving on in 2020, but the team had signed him to a three-year, $30M deal in 2017. Ryan was a starter for a Titans team that made a surprise run to the AFC Championship Game in 2019. This journey was old hat to Ryan by that point, as he started at corner for Super Bowl-winning Patriots teams in 2014 and ’16. Even at corner, however, Ryan has proven a prolific tackler. He has four 90-plus-tackle seasons. Two of those came at corner. On the strength of his run defense, Pro Football Focus graded Ryan as an above-average safety in 2022. Ryan has three four-plus-INT seasons on his resume as well, though each of those came during his years at corner. Ryan has not played cornerback regularly since 2019.

At corner, the 49ers have seen improved play from Ambry Thomas, whom they have used as a regular corner over this four-game win streak. The team, which let Jimmie Ward defect to Houston this offseason, now has two additional veteran safeties in the fold. Despite DeMeco Ryans‘ departure, the 49ers rank second in scoring defense and fifth in yards allowed entering Week 14.