Darrick Forrest

Career StatsB-

Year	Team	GP	INT	PD	Tkl
Career		40	4	9	137
2025		3	0	0	9
2024		10	0	0	13
2023		5

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Spotrac flags Darrick Forrest's contract as a market-rate deal; FanVerdicts grades it B- Contract Value Index because the production-to-pay ratio shakes out accordingly. At $1.215M AAV, Forrest is priced as a depth safety—well below franchise-caliber compensation—and his 2025 season performance (9 tackles, 3 games) aligns with that replacement-level positioning. The safety market for veteran depth pieces typically clusters at this tier, making the dollar figure neither a steal nor an overpay; it's precisely what you'd expect to spend on a 27-year-old five-year veteran being cycled into practice squad and emergency-roster roles. At this stage of his career, Forrest is no longer a developmental prospect or upside play—he's an organizational utility piece, and the salary reflects San Francisco's accurate assessment of his current value as interchangeable secondary insurance. The CVI grade holds steady because there's no real misalignment between what the 49ers are paying and what they're getting: a depth contributor whose limited snaps and modest tackle production don't suggest imminent elevation or impact contribution. Against the backdrop of San Francisco's offseason activity—rotating running backs, cycling through safeties like Ashtyn Davis, and managing injuries—Forrest fits the organizational housekeeping narrative perfectly, a low-cost safety signed for emergency depth ahead of the regular season with neither team nor media expecting him to play a meaningful role in a championship run.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the B band — a quick read on where Darrick's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Darrick Forrest is a five-year veteran safety with 40 career games under his belt in San Francisco's secondary. The 27-year-old represents a depth piece with established NFL experience rather than a featured playmaker in Kyle Shanahan's system. Forrest carries a B-minus grade reflecting solid foundational work, though his recent trajectory has been concerning. His most glaring limitation is tackle production, averaging just 1.30 per game this season against an NFL average of 3.41. This significant shortfall suggests either reduced snaps, poor positioning, or an inability to shed blocks at the point of attack—each a red flag for a safety tasked with run support in a physical defensive scheme. While his five-year body of work has been more reliable than the current C-plus to D-minus slide indicates, Forrest's 2025 performance drop to a D-plus signals he may be losing snaps to younger alternatives. Forrest's future hinges on whether this represents normal depth-chart rotation or the beginning of a decline. The 49ers' strong defensive infrastructure offers him opportunities for recovery, but he'll need to demonstrate improved gap integrity and tackle efficiency to regain consistent playing time. Monitor his snap count and assignment role heading into next season; a return to his 2023 form would stabilize his roster standing, while another down year likely means his tenure in San Francisco enters its final chapter.

How Darrick Compares at the Position

Darrick Forrest ranks 50th of 196 graded safeties by performance. That slots Darrick between Chuck Clark (B-) just ahead and Rayshawn Jenkins (B-) just behind.

Fan Sentiment

Forrest signing was a depth move with immediate complications for San Francisco. Multiple headlines highlight his IR placement, suggesting the move backfired quickly. The Commanders castoff likely arrived as injury insurance rather than a clear upgrade. Fans saw this as a desperation acquisition before playoff football versus Seattle. 49ers must find reliable secondary depth elsewhere as Forrest's availability remains uncertain.