The San Francisco 49ers continue to probe the safety market. While both Ji'Ayir Brown and Talanoa Hufanga are under contract, the latter is recovering from a torn ACL, and is more suited to around-the-box responsibilities rather than as a coverage-oriented safety.
Last week the San Francisco Chronicle's Mike Silver reported that the 49ers would be active in a crowded safety market, looking to get something of a bargain for a starting-caliber player. He mentioned Justin Simmons (free agent), Kam Curl (signed two-year, $13 million deal) and Julian Blackmon.
Per Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz, the latter visited with the 49ers Thursday.
While Blackmon may be the least recognizable name on that list, that says very little about his on-field ability. At 24, he is coming off a stellar season with the Indianapolis Colts, featuring a career-high 4 interceptions and 30 stops (defined here), which was tied for sixth-most in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.
The former 85th overall pick in the 2020 Draft out of Utah, Blackmon profiles as a far more capable player in coverage than Hufanga, who is not guaranteed to retain his starting job, and could become a situational player in big nickel formations (three safeties), perhaps as a frequent blitzer.
Blackmon was ranked as PFF's 25th-best coverage safety out of 104 qualified players, and allowed a 57.5 passer rating against, which was 12th-best among those safeties. His addition would bolster the secondary at a cost that's unlikely to be prohibitive, and simultaneously keep the group young while adding experience.