Prediction: 49ers will re-sign Richard Sherman in 2021

Among the topics gracing the San Francisco 49ers in 2020 will be what they do about the cornerback situation, then wondering if Richard Sherman will be re-signed in 2021.

The San Francisco 49ers are going to consider taking a cornerback or two in the 2020 NFL Draft, and there are plenty of reasons why.

One of them is because veteran corner Richard Sherman is entering a contract year. Yes, 2020 marks the final season of that three-year deal he self-negotiated with the Niners early in 2018 after being released by the Seattle Seahawks.

And while Sherman’s first year in San Francisco was good, his 2019 campaign was excellent. Like, Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro excellent.

Sherman will turn 32 years old this March. While his eventual retirement is probably a number of years away, the 49ers have to at least start thinking about a replacement.

It would be one thing if the Niners had bona fide options. But the problem is they don’t, currently. Third-year pro Ahkello Witherspoon, who struggled in 2018, flashed signs of being starter worth early last season, only to wind up suffering a long-term foot injury and then regressing again late in the year and into the playoffs.

Fellow corner Emmanuel Moseley looked promising. But it’s far too soon to suggest he’s a legitimate option to start.

Even if he was, San Francisco still likely wants to grab a younger, cheaper cornerback soon.

The thing, though, is young defensive backs tend to take time adjusting from the college ranks to the pros. The 49ers also have just one pick, No. 31 overall, in the first four rounds of the 2020 draft. Finding a proverbial “hidden gem” in the late rounds, such as the Round 5-drafted Sherman, is a rarity.

All this prompts the question: Do the Niners re-sign Sherman before he hits the open market in 2021?

Based on the majority of the evidence, yes. Granted, there are a lot of factors which will ultimately determine whether or not it happens. San Francisco could grab a cornerback early. Witherspoon and/or Moseley could hit their respective strides. Sherman could regress, or he could feasibly ask for far too much money than the 49ers would be willing to pay out in 2021.

Given the relative lack of options, though, it would seem much more plausible for the Niners to keep the veteran corner around a little longer.

As such, it’s probably worthwhile to plan on seeing Sherman in the red and gold beyond the upcoming season.