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Eric Reid is one of many San Francisco 49ers looking solidify his future while adjusting to a new system in 2017.

Reid, Carlos Hyde, Aaron Lynch and Dontae Johnson and others are entering contract seasons in the first year of the Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch regime. They need to make an impact with their next deals at stake.

Reid, a first-round pick in 2013, is one of many 49ers transitioning to a new position. He’s moving to strong safety, which typically plays closer to the line of scrimmage as an extra linebacker in new coordinator Robert Saleh’s scheme. It’s a role the LSU alum is looking forward to trying out.

“I love it. Being around the ball the ball more, I anticipate making more tackles, hopefully making more plays,” Reid said recently. “I feel like I was made for this position, my body type, being a bigger safety. So I’m excited about this year.”

Reid was drafted to play free safety in 2013 as the last line in a far more talented defense that played in the Super Bowl the season prior. Now the 49ers are coming off arguably the worst defensive season in franchise history when it ranked dead last in opponents’ yardage and scoring and allowed the most yards rushing since the team’s inception.

And now that he’s playing in the box, Reid will be a key piece as the defense tries to improve against the run.

“I feel like I’m just using what God has blessed me with more, which is my size, being in the box in the run game,” said Reid. “In the past, I’ve just felt like I (could) do more. Being in the post (deep), I can’t use my size as much when it comes to the run game.”

Reid was big for a free safety. He’s listed at 6-foot-1 and 213 pounds, far bigger than the club’s new free safety, Jimmie Ward (5-11, 193), who spent his first three seasons playing cornerback.

The goal for Reid is to replicate Seattle’s Kam Chancellor (6-3, 225), who’s regarded as one of the most physically imposing strong safeties in the league thanks to his knack for making big hits in the middle of the field.

Saleh worked with Chancellor during his time as a Seahawks assistant from 2011-2013, when they won the Super Bowl after beating the 49ers in the conference title game.

San Francisco’s new coordinator has preached playing with “extreme violence,” which falls directly onto Reid’s plate at his new position.

“That’s my favorite part of the game,” Reid said. “I used to get mad at myself if I didn’t have one blow-up shot . . . I tell the guys all the time, I don’t do a lot of talking, I let my shoulder pads talk. So, for somebody else to get a big hit, it’ll make me want to get a big hit, it’ll make the next person want to make a play. It’s just infectious. To set that type of culture, I think is awesome.”