4 free agents the 49ers must sign to win Super Bowl 59

3) 49ers should keep Tashaun Gipson Sr. around

Quarterback isn't the only position that has shown John Lynch the importance of having depth. Safety has also been bitten by the injury bug, but luckily for the 49ers, they've had Tashaun Gipson.

Gipson came to the Niners last year after two years in Chicago, and in these two seasons he's established himself as an indispensable piece to one of the league's best defenses. Gipson filled in for Jimmie Ward after the longtime Niner strained his hamstring in the preseason, and he played so well that he kept the starter's job all year. Ward is now gone, having signed with the Texans and his old coach DeMeco Ryans this past offseason.

This year, Gipson has faced added competition from rookie Ji'Ayir Brown, but he's held his starting spot all season. When All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga went down with a torn ACL in November, Brown stepped in for him, and when Brown missed time with an injury of his own, backup Logan Ryan stepped in. Gipson has been the one constant.

With Hufanga's return timetable uncertain and the frequency of injuries in the Niners secondary these past two years, bringing Gipson back is a no-brainer. The journeyman safety admitted that he contemplated retirement before coming to San Francisco, but with the chance to have another real crack at a championship, Gipson should be easily swayed to return.