Former San Francisco 49ers safety Tashaun Gipson is suspended for the first six games of the season after violating the league’s performance enhancing substances policy. Now entering his age-34 season and stuck on a safety market oversaturated with starting-caliber players driving down his value, some believed this might be the end of the road for the one-time Pro Bowler. However, Gipson recently released a statement noting that he intends to play in 2024 and that he only used banned substances once.
An undrafted free agent in the 2012 NFL Draft, Gipson has overcome the odds to establish himself as a reliable starter in this league. Tashaun Gipson might not be a superstar, but the suspended starter can be a reliable cog in the right machine. Last year, he started 16 games for the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers while finishing with a 67.8 PFF grade, the 43rd-best mark out of 95 eligible players. The suspension will drive down his price, and the cash-strapped Ravens and Saints could take advantage of this.
Free-agent safety Tashaun Gipson, who was suspended six games due to a violation of the performance enhancing substances policy, said he intends to return this year for his 13th NFL season.
His statement: “During this offseason I took a supplement one time, which I thought to be…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 8, 2024
Tashaun Gipson Suspended, Could Continue Career With Saints or Chiefs
The Baltimore Ravens could use more help on defense. After boasting one of the most talented units in the league, the team had to watch multiple key contributors walk in free agency, including safety Geno Stone and linebacker Patrick Queen. The safety duo of Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams remains one of the better tandems in football, but nobody uses three-safety looks more than Baltimore. The Ravens recently brought Jamal Adams in for a visit, but Tashaun Gipson is a better player at this point in his career, even if he is suspended.
Gipson would not be a 1:1 replacement for Geno Stone. The safety was at his best patrolling the deep part of the field and making plays on the ball, while Gipson is more reliable towards the line of scrimmage. While he isn’t an active liability in coverage, his elite 84.6 run defense grade shows he can excel at finding holes and taking down running backs near the line of scrimmage. Because of this, he could be an unconventional replacement for Patrick Queen. Obviously, the 6′-1″, 212-pound safety cannot do everything that the 6′-0″, 230-pound linebacker used to do, but he can improve the run defense as a pseudo-linebacker in nickel and dime defenses.
Saints Pinch Pennies
The New Orleans Saints continue to manipulate their salary cap to increase their championship window. While one could certainly question this strategy when Derek Carr is your quarterback, nobody can deny that the Saints believe themselves to be a playoff-caliber team. Dennis Allen will probably lose his job if he can’t guide this team to the postseason and the suspended Tashaun Gipson could help cover one of the biggest holes on the team.
Tyrann Mathieu is still a reliable starter but this team must find a proper replacement for Marcus Maye. Gipson is an ideal fit, as he shouldn’t cost too much and can play both safety positions. This versatility should open up more possibilities for the Saints scheme, which will be necessary if the offense struggles to score points with one of the worst offensive lines in the game.
Main Photo: Kyle Terada – USA Today Sports
