The San Francisco 49ers’ opening acquisitions in free agency did little to inspire confidence, especially after so many other star players departed the team.
Mixed in those less-heralded pickups was the signing of former Atlanta Falcons safety Richie Grant, a 2021 second-round NFL Draft choice out of UCF, who lost his starting job to veteran Justin Simmons when the latter arrived down south in 2024.
Grant still contributed for Atlanta despite the demotion, primarily seeing time on special teams. And that prowess certainly caught the attention of new Niners special teams coordinator, Brant Boyer.
But, in light of other developments at safety for San Francisco, the 27-year-old Grant could end up being more crucial in a return to the defensive side of the ball, too.
Sure, Grant’s demotion was warranted. After all, in 2023 over 15 starts, he surrendered a passer rating of 126.6 when targeted, allowing six touchdowns and an average of 9.5 yards per target. And while it’s fair to acknowledge the Falcons haven’t exactly boasted a pass rush in, well… ages, the simple point is Grant probably needed a change in scenery.
Hence, why the 49ers inked him to a one-year deal worth up to $1.5 million — a low-cost prove-it offer with $345,000 guaranteed, according to Over the Cap.
While it’s possible the Niners want Grant merely for special teams, there’s a context for him assuming a much bigger role.
Injuries open up door for 49ers to start Richie Grant on defense
San Francisco already lost All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga to the Denver Broncos in free agency, but the bigger gut punch was revealed by news of 2024 standout rookie Malik Mustapha suffering a torn ACL in the regular-season finale, which didn’t break until the middle of the draft the subsequent April.
The 49ers knew this prior to signing Grant, and the 6-foot and 204-pound defender was added prior to the Niners using a day-three draft pick on Kansas State safety Marques Sigle, who’s also in line for potential help within the last line of defense.
Still, San Francisco’s safety depth has some serious injury-related question marks.
Sigle, Mustapha and third-year pro Ji’Ayir Brown all missed offseason workouts with various injuries, which meant players like Grant saw an increase in field time. While Sigle and Brown are expected back by training camp, any sort of setback might prompt Grant into a more prominent role.
Alongside other veterans like George Odum and Jason Pinnock, another offseason free-agent pickup, Grant seems squarely in the mix to occupy one of the two starting jobs come Week 1. Ideally, the 49ers would have Mustapha back fully healthy, paired with a bouncing-back Brown or a surging Sigle impressing right away in camp.
However, such ideal outcomes aren’t always the most realistic, meaning the Niners may be forced into a position where Grant winds up playing a more significant role than most anticipated.
