San Francisco 49ers: 5 players who could be cut without playing a snap
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: 49ers Cornerback Tim Harris
To be clear, second-year cornerback Tim Harris could be a nice story for San Francisco this upcoming season and beyond.
Following a lengthy and injury-prone collegiate career at Virginia, Harris’ stock dipped all the way into the deeper portions of the 2019 NFL Draft where the Niners selected him in Round 6. Had Harris not suffered a significant knee injury his senior year, it wouldn’t have been out of the question to see the 6-foot-1, 205-pound defensive back selected perhaps in Rounds 4 or 5.
Harris’ body frame and skill set appear tailor-made for the 49ers defense, particularly his ranginess and zone-coverage abilities.
Yet the biggest ability is availability, and Harris wasn’t able to crack the 53-man roster a year ago after limited field time during the preseason, as San Francisco redshirted his rookie year with another injury designation.
That could have been intended to develop Harris a bit further. And with corners Richard Sherman and Ahkello Witherspoon entering contract years, there’s a chance Harris carves out a role on the roster this time around.
Only if he’s healthy, though.
If the Niners hold any reservations about Harris’ health, there’s a strong chance the sixth-round pick never suits up in the red and gold.