The 49ers have added some veteran depth to their secondary. The team announced that they’ve signed safety Ashtyn Davis to a one-year deal. To make room on the roster, the team has waived running back Jermar Jefferson.
The 2020 third-round pick out of California spent the first five seasons of his career with the Jets, where he alternated between full-time starter and part-time backup. Davis started 16 games between his first two professional campaigns, including a 2021 season where he tallied 62 tackles, three passes defended, three forced fumbles, and a pair of interceptions.
Between 2022 and 2024, Davis was limited to only six starts, and he spent that 2022 campaign completely out of the defensive rotation (13 defensive snaps in 14 games). He still managed to contribute on special teams, and his 957 ST snaps over that span outpaced his 491 defensive reps.
Davis joined the Dolphins via a one-year, $3MM deal last offseason, and he had one of the most productive seasons of his career. He started 12 of his 15 appearances, finishing with a career-high 65 tackles to go along with four passes defended and an interception. Despite the uptick in snaps, Pro Football Focus wasn’t fond of his performance, ranking him 82nd among 91 qualifying safeties.
The 49ers return much of their safety depth from last season, including Ji’Ayir Brown, Malik Mustapha, and Marques Sigle. Jason Pinnock left via free agency, so Davis could soak up some of those leftover snaps. He’ll be competing with the likes of Derrick Canteen, Patrick McMorris, and Jalen Stroman.
Jefferson caught on with the 49ers just last week. The 26-year-old has seen time in 11 career games, collecting 129 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on 26 touches.