The San Francisco 49ers started their 2026 campaign with a 27-7 international win over their division rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, in Melbourne, Australia, and while they have a lot of the season left, it's always important to think about the future.
Next offseason, San Francisco has 23 players hitting some form of free agency, and Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox has identified
safety Ji'Ayir Brown as the most important among them.Brown, 26, was San Francisco's third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Penn State. Through his first three seasons, he appeared in 49 games and started 31. He recorded 188 tackles, 16 passes defensed, five interceptions and one forced fumble.
Against the Rams, he played 90% of the team's defensive snaps and
recorded four tackles.
It's an interesting choice for Knox. There are some other starters set to hit the market in 2026, including linebacker Dre Greenlaw, center Jake Brendel and wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers starting DB identified as their most important 2027 free agent
