San Francisco 49ers: 5 starting positions up for grabs in 2020
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: Right Cornerback
Barring injury or a complete regression in training camp, which seems unlikely, the 49ers will look to squeeze one more exceptionally productive year out of veteran cornerback Richard Sherman in 2020.
With Sherman on the wrong side of 30 years old and entering a contract year, however, the Niners do have to think about a long-term replacement, and that search could happen as soon as this offseason.
Even if San Francisco doesn’t go shopping for a long-term starter on the boundary, the team still has to think about what the immediate future holds opposite Sherman. Last year, the right cornerback duties were primarily split between two defensive backs, Ahkello Witherspoon and Emmanuel Moseley.
Early in the year, Witherspoon appeared to overcome the massive regression he endured in 2018. But that was before suffering a serious foot sprain in Week 3, which opened up the door for Moseley to take over.
Moseley eventually regained the starting spot once Witherspoon returned, all but cementing that role through the playoffs.
Yet Moseley’s performance was nowhere close to enough to suggest he’s a long-term answer. Even if he was, one has to wonder how much competition the 49ers will open up at this particular spot.
And if another player is added to the mix, things become even more interesting.