Shortly after 49ers general manager John Lynch joined the team’s broadcasters in the KPIX-TV booth Saturday night, safety Eric Reid made his sixth tackle in the game’s first 16 minutes.
This time, Reid sprinted from the defensive backfield and decked Broncos fullback Andy Janovich, who was greeted shortly after he caught a two-yard screen pass.
In the booth, Lynch, the legendary former safety and Fox analyst, offered his analysis of the tackling-everything safety who is tackling a new role.
“We thought this (defense) would be a great fit for Eric,” Lynch said. “I tell you what, talk about bright spots tonight, Eric Reid’s playing a heck of a game.”
Indeed, Reid’s six-tackle, 23-snap performance in a 33-14 preseason loss suggested he might have been correct when he said in July he felt he was “made for this position.”
In his fifth season, Reid has assumed new responsibilities in the 49ers’ 4-3 defense overseen by Robert Saleh, a former Seahawks assistant. Reid is playing the role of Seattle’s Kam Chancellor, a hard-hitting Pro Bowl enforcer who routinely creeps close to the line of scrimmage to assist in run support.
“I like it — just being around the ball more,” Reid said. “Tackling is my favorite part of the game. I love big hits. I just have more opportunities to do that.”
On Saturday, Reid was positioned within eight yards of the line of scrimmage on 16 of 23 snaps, and was on the line of scrimmage for five snaps.
On his seventh play, he lined up as a fifth lineman, positioned outside right defensive end Solomon Thomas, and tackled running back C.J. Anderson for a two-yard gain. On three plays Denver ran from the 49ers’ 1-yard line, Reid lined up outside left defensive end Arik Armstead.
He later was positioned about two yards to left of inside linebacker Reuben Foster, and he spent two snaps about two yards behind Foster and inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman.
Asked Saturday if he felt like a quasi-linebacker, Reid said, “Some plays, I am a linebacker.”
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 213 pounds, Reid has the size to stand his ground in run support, and the movement skills to still get back in pass coverage.
On Saturday, he lined up five yards from the line of scrimmage, sprinted 16 yards downfield and nearly got his outstretched right arm on a deep third-and-6 pass that safety Lorenzo Jerome nearly intercepted.
Later, on back-to-back plays, he responded to short passes by racing upfield to stop wide receiver Bennie Fowler and tight end Virgil Green for gains of four and five yards, respectively.
ESPN analyst Ryan Clark, 37, has followed Reid’s career closely partly because of their shared backgrounds. Like Reid, Clark, who spent 13 years as an NFL safety, is a Louisiana native who attended LSU.
On Friday, Clark predicted Reid’s change in roles would allow him to make more plays. As a rookie, Reid has 11 pass breakups and four interceptions. In the past three seasons, he’s had 19 pass breakups and four picks.
“I’m excited to see him move close to the line, be involved in the run game,” Clark said. “He’s extremely intelligent so I know the change won’t bother him in terms of trying to learn and understand it. For a lot of guys, it’s good to be engaged and feel part of every play. I think it will allow him to be able to make more plays.”
More plays would translate to more money in 2018 for Reid, who is the final year of his contract after the 49ers picked up his fifth-year option for $5.67 million this season.
In July, on the day the 49ers reported for training camp, Reid said yet to engage in extension talks with the 49ers. On the same day, Lynch said he didn’t plan to discuss extensions with Reid and other players because he wanted to “let this play out a little bit and see how they fit with what we want to do.”
Lynch was clearly impressed Saturday, but he probably hasn’t reconsidered that stance after just two preseason games.
Regardless, as Reid has noted, he’ll have plenty of suitors if does his new job well.
“At the end of the day,” Reid said, “I’m confident that I’ll be on somebody’s team next year.”
Eric Branch is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ebranch@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Eric_Branch
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