San Francisco 49ers: 2020 offseason needs primer

No. 1: Cornerback

Another reason why the 49ers would ideally like to lock up Jimmie Ward is because there’s a much more glaring and long-term need at cornerback. Especially on the boundary.

Cornerback Richard Sherman, who performed so well over the course of 2019, hits the final year of his three-year deal this upcoming season. With Sherman turning 32 years old in March, it’s anyone’s guess whether or not the Niners want to bring him back beyond the current terms of his contract.

The situation wouldn’t be so bad if San Francisco had some promising up-and-coming defensive backs in the folds. But cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon‘s 2018 regression and up-and-down campaign last year cast doubts on that being a solid option, while Emmanuel Moseley is far from being labeled a proven commodity despite some promising efforts in Witherspoon’s stead last season.

Again, the limited resources the 49ers have in free agency probably prevent the team from going after a big name here. Some depth, sure. But as far as key players go, one would likely think the NFL Draft is the more plausible option.

And this appears to be what many a draft analyst thinks, too.

Case in point, NFL Mocks’ A.J. Fagerlin has the Niners grabbing Alabama’s Trevon Diggs at No. 31 overall.

Simply stated, the 49ers need to find a long-term replacement for Sherman. While giving up on Witherspoon is premature, along with the hope Moseley could turn into a quality starter, the idea of a cornerback being a top need this offseason is hard to shake off.