Social media recruiting is the new wave for the NFL.
Several 49ers players have made attempts at recruiting current free agents to join the team via social media this offseason. Most recently, safety Adrian Colbert revealed that he would like to see All-Pro safety Earl Thomas head to Santa Clara.
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Thomas would bolster the talent level of the secondary, but there could also be repercussions.
Tight end George Kittle’s attempt to lure Antonio Brown to the 49ers -- after a dare by quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo -- started the whole trend. Kittle and Brown don’t play the same position, which makes Kittle's proposition just a little different than Colbert’s.
Safety Jaquiski Tartt is under contract with the team through 2020 and plays the strong safety position. Jimmie Ward has played all positions in the secondary and is well respected by the coaching staff enough that he could return in 2019 with a new contract.
Throw Thomas into the mix ... and who becomes the odd man out?
San Francisco 49ers
The team went through a slew of injuries the past two seasons, and as a result, gave younger players a lot of time and experience on the field. The team went through eight different safety combinations in 2018 and prior to free agency, would seem to have Tartt and Colbert as their starting combination heading into the next season.
If Thomas ended up in Santa Clara, he could arguably take a starting spot and keep Colbert, or someone else, off the field.
On the other hand, Colbert, of course, would benefit from learning from Thomas, one of the best free safeties in the league. In his nine seasons with the Seahawks, Thomas has been selected to the Pro Bowl six times and in three seasons earned All-Pro honors.
Thomas suffered a broken leg in Week 4 of last year, causing him to miss the rest of the Seahawks' season.
It would be an interesting concept for Thomas to land at a division rival that already has former teammate Richard Sherman on the roster. Coach Robert Saleh’s defensive system is the same as Seattle, where he was a defensive quality control coach from 2011-2013. Thomas could fit in without skipping a beat.
Thomas is well respected around the league and is a player of high character -- a quality that general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan are always looking for. Thomas could also be a mentor and teacher to young players, as Sherman was in 2018.
[RELATED: Sherman believes 49ers have chance to be "really special" in 2019]
Marcell Harris and D.J. Reed are young players who would also benefit from learning from Thomas. Harris, who will be competing with Colbert for a spot, played in eight games and started in five of them. Reed also showed some promise, but ultimately the 49ers could benefit from more experience at both safety positions to open the 2019 season.
While rumors swirl around about where Thomas could land through free agency, if the price is right, the 49ers could be the ultimate winner if his final destination is Santa Clara.