49ers' 2024 Breakout Player: Ji'Ayir Brown

San Francisco 49ers sophomore safety Ji’Ayir Brown flashed a ton of promise as a rookie contributor. Now an unquestioned starter heading into year two, Brown will enjoy a breakout season in 2024. The 49ers have another budding superstar in their defensive backfield.

The No. 87 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, Brown didn't enter the campaign as an immediate factor. The former Penn State standout didn't even play his first defensive snaps, a grand total of two of them, until Week 3. Brown continued to back up Talanoa Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson until Hufanga suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11. That marked the first time Brown played more than 50% of snaps in a single contest.

The Trenton, New Jersey native immediately seized his opportunity, recording four tackles, three pass breakups, and an interception in that 27–14 win over the Buccaneers. Brown recorded his second career interception in a Week 14 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

Brown established himself as a mainstay while endearing himself to Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. He played every single 49ers defensive snap from Weeks 12-16. Brown sat out San Francisco's final two regular-season games with a knee sprain.

Somewhat surprisingly, the 49ers chose to bench a now-healthy Brown for their divisional-round matchup with the Green Bay Packers. Shanahan instead opted for experience by starting veteran defensive back Logan Ryan in his place. The 49ers doubled down on that decision against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game.

In another turn of events, Brown re-entered the starting lineup versus the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII. Once again proving the moment wasn't too big for him, Brown intercepted Patrick Mahomes. He also recorded 11 total tackles throughout the overtime defeat.

All in all, Brown totaled 395 snaps during the regular-season campaign. That accounted for approximately 36.17% of all 49ers defensive plays. It was Hufanga's injury that catapulted Brown into the starting lineup, but offseason changes to the safety position ensure he won't have to wait for another injury.

The 49ers haven't re-signed Gipson, who was their third-most snapped defender (976) last season. Ryan announced his retirement in April. That pencils Brown and Hufanga into the starting roles to begin the 2024 campaign. Hufanga is expected to return from his knee injury during training camp, though the exact timeline remains unclear.

General manager John Lynch re-signed veteran safety George Odum, who spent the majority of the 2023 season on IR. Lynch also drafted former Wake Forest safety Malik Mustapha with a fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft. Odum and Mustapha are depth pieces that won't push Brown for a starting role. If anything, they're insurance in case Hufanga recovers slowly.

Brown will also be playing for a new defensive coordinator this season. Shanahan replaced Wilks with Nick Sorensen. Perhaps it'll be a good thing for Brown considering Wilks initially trusted Ryan to play ahead of him in the playoffs.

Brown was ready for his opportunity when Hufanga suffered his knee injury. He proved he's a big-moment player by recording an interception in the Super Bowl. Brown possesses the skill set and clear pathway to experience a breakout campaign.