San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh confirmed on Thursday that the team tried to re-sign Eric Reid. The former 49ers safety instead opted to join the Carolina Panthers on a one-year deal.
Jim Trotter reported on Thursday morning that the 49ers made a run at re-signing Reid to a multi-year contract this week. Matt Barrows of The Athletic later stated that it was actually a one-year offer.
"Any time you have an opportunity to add a good football player, when the opportunity presents itself, obviously, E. Reid is familiar with our system, and he knows we know him, we're comfortable with him," Saleh said. "Obviously, it didn't work out, but anytime you have that opportunity, you explore it."
Reid will start with the Panthers. That would not have been the case with San Francisco — at least not long-term. While Jaquiski Tartt and Adrian Colbert are the established starting safeties, both are dealing with injuries, and neither practiced on Wednesday. Tartt is dealing with a shoulder injury that kept him out against the Kansas City Chiefs while Colbert injured his hip in the game.
"They're working through treatment, trying to progress through the week, and we'll know more as the week progresses," Saleh said of the players in his banged-up secondary.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said in August that the door was open for Reid to return to the 49ers, but it would have to be as a backup with a contract that matched that role.
"I don't think that's what Eric wants," Shanahan said. "I told you the reason we decided to go that direction is because we made a tough decision, but we had to do it. We went with Tartt. We thought that was the right way to go. You can't give a lot of money to backups, and that's what he would be if he came here."