Every spring, the 49ers’ undrafted free-agent class turns into a little guessing game: which long shot has enough juice to sneak onto the 53-man roster?
For a while, Notre Dame safety Jalen Stroman looked like one of the better bets.
San Francisco had done very little to shore up its safety room, and that opened the door for Stroman to look like more than just a camp body. The team hadn’t drafted or signed a safety earlier, even with questions lingering around incumbents Ji'Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha. On paper, that gave Stroman a real opening.
But the picture has changed.
The 49ers have since added more competition, and those moves may have pushed the rookie closer to the outside looking in than the inside track some had imagined. San Francisco brought in veteran safety Patrick McMorris after signing Stroman, then made a more significant addition in June with Ashtyn Davis, a six-year pro who has 34 starts under his belt.
Stroman has some appeal. Last season he posted three tackles for a loss, a sack and a pick-six interception.
But he also came into the league with clear limitations, and he was viewed as a late day-three type at best. His coverage remains a problem, and the big-play flashes don’t erase the fact that he doesn’t profile as an every-down defender.
The Davis signing may tell the real story. It could mean defensive coordinator Raheem Morris took a look at the depth behind the starters and decided the group needed another veteran body. If so, Davis isn’t just a threat to Brown and Mustapha for starting work - he also puts Stroman’s chances in serious jeopardy.
At this point, the undrafted rookie looks less like a hidden gem and more like the odd man out.
In Other News...
J.J. Watt Had The Perfect Response To George Kittle
George Kittle has never been shy about speaking his mind, and his latest gripe landed on a topic plenty of players and fans can understand: the NFLs decision to switch to artificial turf for the World Cup-related setup. The change affects stadium logistics and maintenance in ways that go beyond aesthetics, and Kittle made it clear he is not pleased with the direction the league is taking on the field surface.
J.J. Watt jumped into the conversation with a response that turned the whole exchange into a lighthearted moment between two players who have long shown mutual respect, even while wearing different uniforms. What could have been just another complaint about stadium planning instead became a reminder that the leagues biggest personalities still know how to mix candor with humor, and Kittles reaction only added to the fun. [Read more 🡒]
Deebo Samuel Update Just Changed How Real A 49ers Reunion Felt
Deebo Samuels name keeps circling back into 49ers conversations because the fit, at least on paper, still makes sense. He is a free agent now, and there has been enough speculation about a possible return to San Francisco that it has become more than just idle offseason chatter. The backdrop matters here, too, because Samuels time with the team never really ended on simple terms, and any reunion talk naturally pulls in the history between player and organization.
What makes the latest update worth watching is the sense that the interest may not have been one-sided. Reported frustration over the 49ers moving quickly to sign Mike Evans adds a wrinkle to the possibility of a reunion, and it leaves the door open to wondering how serious either side really is about revisiting the relationship. For a team that has already lived through Samuels trade request and the aftermath, this is the kind of storyline that can linger well beyond the first round of free agency. [Read more 🡒]
A 49ers Defensive Starter Suddenly Has Something Big To Prove
Renardo Green heads toward the 2026 training camp with the kind of offseason pressure that comes with being a young starter on a team trying to sharpen every layer of its defense. The 49ers want more from their secondary after a rough year creating turnovers, and Greens uneven play in 2025 left enough questions that the front office went looking for help around him.
San Francisco still seems to believe there is something to build on with Green, which is why this is not simply a lost cause situation. But with new competition arriving and the secondary under a brighter spotlight, he is no longer just trying to hold a job. He is trying to prove the team was right to keep investing in his development instead of moving on. [Read more 🡒]