San Francisco 49ers signal Professional Bowler Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, three strikes they need to nonetheless make
The San Francisco 49ers have yet another injury to contend with than strong safety starter Jaquiski Tartt. He is said to be nowhere near ready to return while struggling with a toe disease.
For the time being, San Francisco has decided to replace him with the former first-round pick and Pro Bowl Safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report the two teams reached an agreement just days before the San Francisco 49ers preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Clinton-Dix, 28, was a first-round pick for the Green Bay Packers in 2014. He played at Green Bay for five seasons and won a Pro Bowl seat in 2016. During that time, the former Alabama standout had 275 tackles, 33 passes defended, and 16 interceptions.
He last played for the Chicago Bears in 2019, starting all 16 games while recording 78 tackles and two interceptions. After signing a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys last off-season, Clinton-Dix was fired before Week 1. Now that we’ve deepened their security group, let’s look at three more steps San Francisco should take before its season opener.
The San Francisco 49ers sign Dre Kirkpatrick
11/29/2020; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (20) against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
With Richard Sherman’s return less likely due to his legal situation, San Francisco brought this nine-year veteran to a training session earlier this summer. Both sides could not agree on an agreement.
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It is now high time that General Manager John Lynch and Co. put this opportunity back on its feet. The 49ers have big concerns behind starters Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley heading into the 2021 season. After playing 78 games over the course of his career, Kirkpatrick would give San Francisco valuable cornerback experience. He recorded 56 tackles, seven defended passes and three interceptions in 14 games (11 starts) for the Arizona Cardinals last season.
San Francisco 49ers trade for N’Keal Harry
Speaking of depth concerns, San Francisco avoided the wide receiver position during both the Free Agency and the NFL draft as if it were a new twist on COVID-19. It’s a bit of a surprise after Kendrick Bourne joins the New England Patriots in Free Agency.
With some big question marks behind Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco would be wise to call the Pats about this former first round pick. Sure, Harry struggled during his first two NFL seasons (33 receptions). But he can be a big target for Jimmy Garoppolo or Trey Lance. The former Arizona State star is also only 23 years old and could allegedly be up for a late pick.
San Francisco 49ers trade Jimmy Garoppolo
May 25, 2021; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) during organized team activities at the San Francisco 49ers Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
The ship could have sailed as it exited this Super Bowl quarterback. And in reality, it makes perfect sense for San Francisco to keep Garoppolo for at least one more season. While Lance has shown at camp, that type of experience should be in the center of attention for a Super Bowl contender.
With that in mind, Garoppolo’s commercial value could soon go up depending on what we see in the preseason. If the Denver Broncos’ quarterback situation remains unresolved, General Manager George Paton could call. Depending on Carson Wentz’s injury in Indianapolis, the Colts may need to show interest before Week 1. If San Francisco can get a second-round pick for Garoppolo and is comfortable with Lance starting out as a rookie, it has to be at least part of the thought process for the team.
