San Francisco 49ers free agency: Top 5 targets for 2018
By Peter Panacy
No. 5: Cornerback Trumaine Johnson
DraftAnalyst.com Tony Pauline reported Thursday both the 49ers and Oakland Raiders figured to be the primary competitors for soon-to-be former Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson.
Johnson appears expendable after the Rams acquired former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters via a trade last month.
Johnson’s production last year slid from the seven-interception campaign he had back in 2015, logging only two picks over 16 games. And Pro Football Focus ranked him the 68th overall cornerback out of 121 qualifiers, posting a 74.2 overall grade in the process.
Still, the Niners are going to be on the hunt for a corner this offseason via free agency or the NFL Draft.
Even John Lynch eluded to this not long ago, saying, “I think anybody who watched us play — I don’t want to say a weakness — but an area of concern for us was the cornerback position.”
It’s not hard to find mock drafts giving the 49ers a cornerback with their first selection. Grabbing one in free agency would shake that need up quite a bit. And while there are other names out there — Malcolm Butler of the New England Patriots and Kyle Fuller of the Chicago Bears — the latest reports seem to be pointing Johnson’s way.