Ryan Takes Unbelievable Leap into 49ers’………

The 49ers have faced significant injuries at the safety position this season, but thanks to the depth provided by 11-year NFL veteran Logan Ryan, the secondary has maintained its performance without any setbacks.

Coach Kyle Shanahan expressed gratitude on Tuesday for Ryan’s swift integration into their defense after signing with the team on December 5.

“Logan’s been great,” Shanahan told reporters in a conference call. “It’s what we hoped for. We knew how he was when he was playing. And you never know when you’re getting a guy in the middle of the year.”

The 49ers had lost All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga to a season-ending knee injury on November 19 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rookie Ji’Ayir Brown stepped into the starting role the following week but later suffered a knee sprain that kept him out for the final two regular-season games.

“We thought with how thin we were getting at safety that we needed a guy with experience,” Shanahan said. “He came in and filled his role great as a backup, great on special teams, just how he carries himself in the building.

“And then when Ji’Ayir did get hurt and he did go in, he played like a starting-caliber safety, which he’s done his whole career at a high level — not just safety but nickel and corner.”

Drafted in the third round by the New England Patriots in the 2013 NFL Draft, Ryan won two Super Bowl championships in four seasons with the team. He later played for the Tennessee Titans (2017 to 2019), New York Giants (2020 to 2021), and Tampa Bay (2022).

Ryan initially joined the 49ers as part of the special teams unit but transitioned to a defensive starter in Week 16. In his two starts, he recorded 13 total tackles (nine solo, one for a loss) and played every defensive snap.

Shanahan remains uncertain about the exact date of Brown’s return, making Ryan’s contributions even more valuable.

“For him to come here and do this with a little amount of time, I can’t say enough good things about him,” Shanahan said. “And we’ll see how Ji’Ayir is when he comes back because Ji’Ayir was playing at a real high level too before he got hurt.

“But I’m real happy with Logan. Logan’s really helped us out in a tough situation.”