Ashtyn Davis Joins 49ers, Jermar Jefferson Waived After OTA Practices
The 49ers added ashtyn davis after a couple of OTA practices and waived Jermar Jefferson to clear a roster spot. Davis brings a different defensive profile to San Francisco, and the move gives the team another option at safety as offseason competition moves forward.
Davis brings 12 starts
Davis, a former third-round pick, started 12 games for the Miami Dolphins last season and played 681 snaps. He spent the previous five years with the New York Jets before joining Miami, giving San Francisco a veteran defensive back with experience in multiple roles.
Last season, he played 495 of those snaps at free safety, lined up at linebacker depth for 124 snaps and took 42 snaps in the slot. That kind of usage gives the 49ers flexibility at a position group that did not add a safety in free agency or the draft.
Miami usage fits San Francisco
Davis was targeted six times on throws of 20 or more air yards last season and allowed two receptions. At the intermediate level, he was targeted eight times and allowed seven receptions for 114 yards, a split that shows how often opponents tested him in the middle of the field.
His availability has also been part of the story. Davis missed a pair of games in 2024 after being placed in the concussion protocol, was inactive in Weeks 9 and 10 because of a quad issue he suffered in October, and then sustained a non-contact lower-left leg injury during 2025 training camp that left him on crutches in a walking boot. He avoided an Achilles tear after that injury.
49ers safety room shift
San Francisco has been searching for another body type in the secondary, and Davis is the closest fit it added this offseason after signing a pair of players following the draft. Nate Hobbs was the closest body type to a safety among those additions, so Davis now enters a competition where his recent free safety work and dime-package alignment matter.
Jefferson’s release made the move possible, and it leaves Davis with a clear opening to compete for snaps as the 49ers continue OTAs. For a roster that has been looking for more depth on the back end, the next step is simple: see whether Davis can turn those Miami alignments into a steady role in San Francisco.
