5 players 49ers can’t afford to lose to injury in 2020
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: 49ers Cornerback Richard Sherman
San Francisco’s lack of action to address its defensive backfield could have a lot of ramifications both in 2020 and next year.
Cornerbacks Richard Sherman, Ahkello Witherspoon and K’Waun Williams are pending free agents next year. All three have dealt with injuries over the last two years, too.
But Sherman is the player to watch here, especially considering he’s now 32 years old and could be winding down his pro career. In 2018, Sherman dealt with foot and hamstring issues stemming from the recovery process after his 2017 Achilles tear with the Seattle Seahawks. While Sherman stayed mostly healthy in 2019, missing just one game, the 49ers depth at the position simply isn’t good enough to overcome any would-be elongated injury to the perennial Pro Bowler.
Witherspoon, who also missed six regular-season games last year, has yet to show his reliability as a starter. He played exceptionally well early in the season before suffering his foot injury, yet lost his job multiple times to fellow corner Emmanuel Moseley.
Sherman going out would put Witherspoon right back in the equation. The depth corners, Dontae Johnson and Jason Verrett, don’t inspire much confidence.
Simply put, the 49ers are gambling on the hope they won’t need their cornerback depth this upcoming season and can punt on any long-term needs.
If it backfires, there could be a lot of problems.