The San Francisco 49ers were interested in signing a safety in free agency and targeted Rayshawn Jenkins, a former Jacksonville Jaguars player. Jenkins visited the Seattle Seahawks before heading to the Bay Area to meet with the 49ers.
"Then I had two more visits set up, but Seattle called, made an offer," Jenkins shared with reporters this week.
He revealed that the 49ers offered to match the deal, but Jenkins opted to accept the Seahawks' offer instead.
"I wanted to go to a contender," Jenkins explained. "I wanted to go to a bigger market (than Jacksonville). I felt like Seattle was the perfect place. Plenty of opportunity. I'm going into a team with a head coach that's defensive-minded."
Most consider the 49ers a Super Bowl contender, more so than the Seahawks. The team has a significant national following, evident from the fans taking over opposing teams' stadiums during road games.
They may not have a traditional defensive-minded head coach. Still, Kyle Shanahan is widely regarded as one of the more innovative minds in the game, including his extensive understanding of defensive schemes.
However, there was another reason Jenkins picked the Seahawks over the 49ers: finances. Yes, San Francisco was willing to match Seattle's offer, but California's state taxes made the Pacific Northwest a more desirable location for the defensive player.
"And quite frankly, out of San Francisco and Seattle, the taxes as well," Jenkins commented as reporters laughed at his response. "So I had to think about that."
It sounds like the 49ers weren't willing to adjust their offer to compensate for the taxes, losing Jenkins to a division rival. The 49ers did address the safety position in the draft, selecting Malik Mustapha out of Wake Forest in the fourth round. He joins a group that includes All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga, recovering from a torn ACL, and second-year safety Ji'Ayir Brown.
In the end, it was a business decision, with Jenkins adding, "But going back to those taxes, I was like, 'I'm going to go out here.'"