San Francisco 49ers: Stealing one player from every NFC West foe
By Peter Panacy
Los Angeles Rams: Cornerback Jalen Ramsey
Like the Cardinals, the Rams had more than a few players from whom to choose.
The simplest steal for the 49ers would be arguably the best defender in the NFL the past few years, perennial All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald. And there would be nothing wrong with that addition, especially considering Donald would do more than make up for the Niners offseason trade of Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.
And just like Chandler Jones, the thought of adding Donald to San Francisco’s defensive line would instill all kinds of fear for the Niners’ opponents in 2020 and into the playoffs.
Yet the 49ers have already spent enough time addressing their D-line in recent years, including the Round 1 NFL Draft addition of South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.
So, instead of being redundant, let’s address another key area of need: the secondary.
In this dream scenario, the Niners are able to lure away perennial Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who finally would get his shot to compete for a Super Bowl on a regular basis. And while Ramsey’s play over the years speaks for itself, the addition would also provide a much-needed boost for one of the few parts of San Francisco’s roster boasting question marks.
The Niners do have veteran corner Richard Sherman, yes. Opposite him, though, are Emmanuel Moseley and Ahkello Witherspoon. Moseley is a nice up-and-coming player, sure, while Witherspoon has been up and down. But Ramsey is, without question, a massive upgrade over those two.
Potentially Sherman, too, at least at this point in his career.