When Robert Saleh decided to come back to be the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator, he was fully aware of the talent teardown that was coming. On the back end of that exodus in free agency, the Niners used their first five picks in the 2025 draft on defensive players to restock the cupboard for Saleh.
Still, it's next to impossible to fill every need you'd like to in the draft. San Francisco got a surprise extra layer to that idea with the out nowhere news on Day 3 of the draft that safety Malik Mustapha suffered a torn ACL in last season's finale. Naturally, he is unlikely to be ready for the start of the season.
So, out of nowhere after the draft, at least to the public, the 49ers need safety help. The internal options to fill in for Mustapha are either unproven (rookie fifth-round pick Marques Sigle) or uninspiring (Richie Grant, George Odum).
On the other hand, the Niners knew Mustapha's situation and presumably have a plan to cover his absence. The entirety of that plan is certainly not a low-end free agent signing (Grant) and a Day 3 draft pick (Sigle).
Now that the draft is over, free-agent signings no longer impact the compensatory pick formula for 2026.
49ers must ignore free-agent pitch for Robert Saleh reunion
The 49ers could consider adding veteran defensive players Saleh has history with from his time as head coach of the New York Jets. It made sense before the draft, and it still does to some degree now. Guys who "know the system" can certainly help the incoming rookies learn it.
But there are times when a concept gets stretched too far, and that's what Sterling Xie of Pro Football Network did by offering safety Chuck Clark as a post-draft free-agent match for San Francisco:
"Chuck Clark was on the Jets the last two seasons, so he has familiarity with Robert Saleh’s scheme. The medicals would have to check out on Clark, as he missed all of 2023 with a torn ACL and the end of 2024 with a torn pectoral (which could be part of the reason he’s still unsigned). Clark turned 30 in April, so he should still have some gas in the tank and would require less of a transition to Saleh’s defense than other free agent safeties."
It's an an unequivocal fact Clark was a New York Jet the last two seasons. But as Xie noted, he missed all of the 2023 campaign due to a torn ACL, and a torn pectoral ended his 2024 season after 12 games. While 69 total tackles lands as a solid number over those 12 games, Pro Football Focus graded him barely in the top-100 among safeties (No. 92) with a top-45 run defense grade (70.5) as the only bright mark.
Clark's pectoral injury happening later last season is likely the No. 1 reason he is available, and perhaps a review of last year's tape isn't kind to him.
If the Niners want to sign a veteran safety, there are options who don't have a current health concern or recent durability concerns. Not to mention being better players than Clark.
Saleh's input will definitely be asked for if the 49ers want to add anyone to the defense, especially if it's someone who just played for him in New York.
There are some of his former players he'd likely endorse, but Clark feels unlikely to be on that list.
