NFL Free Agency: 5 Positions the San Francisco 49ers Must Address in 2016
By Peter Panacy
Cornerback
The 49ers may have a lot of depth at the cornerback position in 2016. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re laden with a ton of talent here.
No. 1 corner Tramaine Brock had a good season after missing the majority of 2014 and ended up with 45 tackles and a team-leading 11 passes defended. He also graded out with a plus-3.1 mark on the year, per Pro Football Focus.
But nobody ever solidified the No. 2 cornerback position alongside him. Second-year corner Kenneth Acker started 13 games before losing that role down the stretch. Fellow corner Dontae Johnson had some moments, and Keith Reaser was a virtual non-factor.
On a positive note, former first-round pick Jimmie Ward flourished in his second season as the team’s nickel corner.
Young defensive backs typically take time to develop. But the 49ers will want to target an experienced corner, preferably with some ball-hawking abilities, to add some depth and experience to this group. San Diego Chargers cornerback Patrick Robinson would be a nice addition but an expensive one. He earned $2 million last season and should be due a substantial raise.
The same could be said about Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman.
Next: Defensive Line