SANTA CLARA, CA - AUGUST 23: Safety Eric Reid #35 of the San Francisco 49ers watches from the sidelines against the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth quarter of a preseason game on August 23, 2015 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers won 23-6. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

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San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid is heading towards NFL free agency, and the Niners have a tough choice whether or not to re-sign him. We’ll explore both pros and cons about the argument.

The San Francisco 49ers are going to have some tough decisions on their hands regarding their pending free agents this offseason.

And veteran safety Eric Reid is one of them.

The Niners’ first-round pick from 2013 switched roles — from free safety to strong safety — in coordinator Robert Saleh’s 4-3 Under defense, only to see him lose a starting spot to fellow defensive back Jaquiski Tartt, yet to reclaim it when Tartt suffered a season-ending arm injury halfway through 2017.

Reid finished third on the team in tackles (52) and had four passes defended. And while his 6-foot-1, 213-pound frame is tailor made for an in-the-box safety, it’s a good question whether or not the 49ers will bring him back.

So, will they?

In this article, we’ll look at both sides of the argument and come up with a plausible solution. Let’s start off with why it’s a good idea for him to return.

Pros for the 49ers Re-Signing Eric Reid

Reid is only 26 years old, so age isn’t a factor. And with the Niners boasting upwards of $115 million in cap space, he’s not considered a cap liability either.

Pro Football Focus gave Reid an 81.4 overall grade on the season — highest among all of San Francisco’s secondary starters at the end of 2017. And this number was tied for 32nd among 87 qualifiers too.

Again, not a bad number at all.

Plus, Reid brings locker-room presence and leadership. It’s not uncommon to see him breaking down pre-game huddles. And he’s one of only a handful of holdovers from the last time the 49ers were, you know, good.

We can’t quantify that, but we can’t overlook the importance either. Especially for a young team.

There are injury factors at play too. Tartt’s arm injury casts some doubt about safety depth, and fellow safety Jimmie Ward’s third trip (forearm) to injured reserve in four seasons is a big mark against his own longevity.

Meanwhile, Reid has the versatility to play either free or strong safety. Linebacker too — an added bonus.

Cons for the 49ers Re-Signing Eric Reid

Unlike Ward, Tartt doesn’t have a history of significant injury. 2017 was his first major setback, and he was having a phenomenal year before getting hurt. Up to that point, PFF actually graded Tartt higher than Reid (85.7), and Tartt’s run-stopping grade — important for in-the-box safeties — was higher too (73.7 to 69.5).

And while Ward’s future with the Niners could be in doubt, first-year pro Adrian Colbert might end up being the team’s starting free safety in 2018 anyway.

It doesn’t appear likely Reid pushes Tartt out of a starting job this year. That, and San Francisco could enjoy a spirited camp competition at free safety between Ward and Colbert — one the latter probably wins.

All this points to Reid likely assuming a backup role. Hitting the open market might be a more attractive option, especially if he’s penciled into an immediate starting role.

Would the 49ers want to pay starting-caliber money for a backup? Probably not.

A Possible Solution

Not long ago, we explored the possibility of the Niners placing a franchise tag on Reid. This would be, of course, if San Francisco inked quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to a long-term deal, freeing up the tag for a player like Reid instead.

The tag on Reid would cost roughly $10.8 million, which is easily affordable. And doing so puts off any problems at this position without the worry of creating a depth void.

That’s the kicker.

Reid has his own injury history — his Week 2 knee injury forced him out of the lineup for three games. So the tag would alleviate the need to sign him to a long-term deal without jeopardizing the aforementioned injury/depth situations.

Despite a strong rookie season, we don’t know if Colbert is truly capable of performing at such a high level on a consistent basis. A greater sample size is needed. And tagging Reid would allow the Niners to either cut Ward or move him down to corner — whichever proves to be the better option in 2018.

So that’s the best solution. Reid probably isn’t someone the Niners want to lock up long term. But they don’t want to be rid of him.

At least not yet.