Eric Reid's Contract Option Picked Up by 49ers: Latest Comments, Reaction

The San Francisco 49ers announced Monday that they have picked up the fifth-year contract option on safety Eric Reid.  

Reid, 24, made 71 tackles and had seven passes defensed last season. The 2015 campaign was his first without an interception, but the LSU product has started 47 of 48 games since being the No. 18 overall pick in 2013.

A bit of a surprise selection three years ago, Reid has been a mostly solid addition. He admitted to considering retirement after the 2014 season after suffering three head injuries in his first two NFL campaigns.

“There is a doctor that I’m looking further into and I may end up going to see,” Reid said, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “Like I said, right now I’ve evaluated my situation and I feel comfortable playing.”

While the 49ers were glad Reid didn't join a number of former players in retirement, he didn't have his best season in 2015. Pro Football Focus ranked him 36th among safeties, making him a below-average starter overall. San Francisco also ranked 27th in Football Outsiders' defensive rankings after spending years among the game's best under Jim Harbaugh.

It was no surprise, then, that general manager Trent Baalke was noncommittal when talking about Reid's long-term future, per Branch: "We're definitely looking at both options. If we could get something done longer, we'll look at that. We're also looking at the fifth-year option as well. I would expect him back for sure one way or another (in 2017)."

The fifth-year option allows the 49ers to protect themselves from another down year. Fifth-year options are only guaranteed for injury, meaning they could choose to cut him before the start of the 2017 league year. Because Reid was not a top-10 selection, he'll also only make the average of the third through 25th highest-paid player at his position.

In all likelihood, Reid will still be better than whoever the team could get as a replacement in 2016. But this offers them another year to make a decision about a long-term deal.

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