Gipson now valuable member of 49ers’ safety group

SANTA CLARA >> Tashaun Gipson went from expendable to indispensable in less than a month and helped turn the last line of defense for the 49ers from a question mark to an exclamation point.

After missing five games for the Chicago Bears in 2021, Gipson was met with silence in free agency. A veteran of 10 years and 140 games with 132 starts, Gipson

had just turned 32, was coming off a hip injury and was contemplating the end of the line.

“I missed five games, and that’s never good heading into your 11th season,” Gipson said Tuesday. “Teams are aware of those things. Father Time, he’s undefeated. When training camp has passed by and there’s no sign of anything, you begin to let doubt creep in.”

Gipson’s lifeline came in the form of a hamstring strain by 49ers safety Jimmie

Ward. It was severe enough to put him on the injured reserve list for the first four games. Gipson made the Pro Bowl in 2014 with the Cleveland Browns, whose offensive coordinator that season was Kyle Shanahan.

The 49ers signed Gipson to the practice squad to see if he had anything left. He was activated and started in the opener against the Bears. The 49ers have played 504 defensive snaps this season, and Gipson has been on the field for 501 of them — more than any other defensive player.

“Obviously, when I got the call here it was just an awesome opportunity,” Gipson said. “I didn’t know where it would take me, I just knew I was going to try and take advantage.”

Gipson’s arrival has strengthened the defense at three positions in the secondary for a 49ers team that is 4-4 at the bye week. He provided a steady veteran presence, tackling skill and playmaking ability to go alongside second-year strong safety Talanoa Hufanga.

Ryan Clark, an ESPN analyst who played alongside Hall of Famer and Hufanga mentor Troy Polamalu in Pittsburgh, likened Gipson’s role to his own in playing in tandem with an instinctive playmaker.

In a conversation with Clark about Hufanga’s progress in late September, he said Gipson’s contribution was duly noted.

“It’s important to have a guy like Gip at the other safety, a veteran guy who understands it’s not his job to be a star, but to do his job at a high level, give his team another blade of grass to defend, and allow Talanoa to go out and make plays,” Clark said.

Hufanga is reluctant to compare Polamalu-Clark to Hufanga-Gipson, but said Gipson has contributed both confidence and knowledge to his game.

“Tashaun has helped me a tremendous amount,” Hufanga said.