SF 49ers free agency: 5 cornerbacks Niners should target in 2021
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: Michael Davis, Los Angeles Chargers
If the SF 49ers want to get the right combination of size, experience, scheme fit, youth and production, they should look no further than Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Michael Davis.
Davis, 25 years old, will be coming off his second-round restricted free-agent tender in 2021 and could be a relatively hot commodity on the open market. The former undrafted free agent has been a productive starter for the Chargers defense over the last two years. And despite a smallish injury rap sheet, he’s managed 80 tackles, 17 passes defended and three interceptions during that two-year span.
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And on the year, Pro Football Focus has recognized his efforts with a highly respectable 68.0 overall grade.
On top of all that, Davis fits both the mold and scheme experience for what the Niners would want. His 6-foot-2, 196-pound frame fits the bill, and the Chargers run a similar Cover 3 defensive scheme under defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who helped mentor San Francisco’s own defensive coordinator, Robert Saleh.
As such, it should be a seamless transition for Davis.
Davis could command a hefty contract on the open market, yes, poised to cash in on an amount worth approximately $5-plus million annually. Perhaps more.
But if the SF 49ers want to land themselves a starting-caliber player with plenty of good years left in him, splurging a bit on Davis wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Next. 49ers' 15 best free-agent acquisitions of all time. dark
All cap figures and contracts courtesy of Over the Cap.