5 stats where the 49ers will need improvement in 2018
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: Average Pass Yards Against per Attempt
Average Yards per Pass: 6.6 — Seventh Worst in the NFL
If the offensive line is a top priority for the 49ers this offseason, cornerback can’t be too far behind.
San Francisco’s passing defense wasn’t particularly great this year. Outside rookie corner Ahkello Witherspoon, who didn’t start until the middle of 2017, the Niners seriously hurt for good cover guys.
The biggest culprit, of course, was No. 2 corner Dontae Johnson, who finished with a 36.9 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus, which ranked 118th out of 121 qualifying cornerbacks in 2017. Johnson also finished the year with the most penalties (12) on San Francisco’s roster.
Considering he’ll be a free agent in 2018, it’s a safe bet the Niners won’t bring him back.
Johnson was targeted often down the stretch, notably by the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars, which led to the Niners having some serious issues in the passing game.
While Witherspoon looks to be a key component within the team’s secondary next season, and safety remains deep too, another cornerback should be on general manager John Lynch’s hot list.
Ample coverage should help improve this stat, as well as the next one on our list.