Remember back in May when the 49ers abruptly cut Jimmy Williams and I wrote that the bs detector inside my head was going off? Well, it turns out that Williams has been suspended for a full year for violating the league's substance abuse policy, according to Howard Balzer of the Sports Xchange. Did the 49ers know of this impending suspension when they cut ties with him in May? The official word at the time was that Williams' dismissal was due to the numbers at safety - um, what numbers? - but I didn't buy that then and I don't buy it now. Williams also was suspended for five games in 2008.
This bit of news provides a nice segue for discussing the rest of the 49ers' safeties heading into the 2009 season. Again, the two starters are youngster Dashon Goldson and steady veteran Michael Lewis. Who backs them up? Well, one man - Mark Roman - likely will be the No. 1 replacement at both free and strong safety. Who will be the fourth safety? Heading into camp, you have to believe that Reggie Smith has the edge.
- Mark Roman. 5-11, 205. After the 2008 season ended, Mike Singletary informed Roman that Dashon Goldson would be the starter at free safety, the position Roman had manned for nearly three seasons. Roman asked to be able to try to work a trade to a team that wanted a starter and Singletary and the 49ers acquiesced. They likely knew that Roman would be back.
Roman has been a solid starter for the 49ers who has lined up the defense and who has rarely been out of position. But his ball skills, which always have been dubious, bordered on comical last season when he dropped one would-be interception in the end zone and later in the year slammed into a teammate who was about to make another. You could argue that Roman's ball skills - or lack thereof - cost the 49ers a late-season game in Miami. Which is why the team has tapped Goldson, who seems to excel in all the areas in which Roman is lacking, to be the starter. Still, Singletary and the 49ers are smart to keep Roman around. Goldson has a long injury history while strong safety Lewis was slowed by several injuries last season. Roman would be a trusted replacement if either goes down. He also is well-liked inside the 49ers' locker room.
- Reggie Smith. 6-1, 200. It's never a good sign when you draft someone in the third-round to play cornerback, insist he's the heir to starter Walt Harris and then move him to safety in his second season. (See: Williams, Jimmy). Indeed, Smith was the invisible man last year, seeing only scant playing time in garbage time despite his draft stature. Still, there's no reason to give up yet. He was a big-time performer at both cornerback and safety at a big-time program - Oklahoma - and he certainly has the size and athleticism to play the position. If he becomes the team's No. 4 safety, he must excel on special teams.
- Curtis Taylor. 6-2, 209. The seventh-round pick has good size and athleticism. However, he never showed the instincts at LSU to make him an elite safety. He had a ho-hum two interceptions as a senior. Taylor could make the 53-man squad if he stands out in the preseason. If not, his future may be on the practice squad.
-- Matt Barrows
