San Francisco 49ers: The all-bad team

Cornerbacks

Antonio Langham (1998), Mark McMillian (1999)

It’s hard to fathom what the 49ers were trying to do at the cornerback position in the late 1990s.

San Francisco tabbed defensive backs Antonio Langham and Mark McMillian in back-to-back years to reinforce a secondary that couldn’t seem to hold up against those ongoing rivalries between the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys.

Langham was a prized free-agent acquisition and had totaled 12 interceptions over the previous four years before joining the 49ers.

Yet Langham played in just 11 games in 1998 and started only six despite being signed on a long-term deal. That deal ended up lasting just one season — a year in which Langham was flagged for eight pass-interference penalties and gave up five touchdowns.

The 49ers tried to replace Langham the following year by tabbing the 5’7″, 154-pound McMillian the next season. San Francisco was hoping he’d look like the player who registered eight interceptions in 1997 for the Kansas City Chiefs.

That didn’t happen. McMillian was released after just six games.

Backups: Nate Clements (2007-2010), Marquez Pope (1995-1998)

Prized free-agent cornerback Nate Clements had some decent moments in San Francisco, but was he ever worth the lucrative contract he received as a free agent? No.

And corner Marquez Pope — the former 1992 second-round pick of the San Diego Chargers — had one good season in San Francisco in 1996, but injuries and bad decisions warrant the selection here.

Next: Linebacker