4 SF 49ers who helped 2021 free-agent value with win vs. Cardinals
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: SF 49ers Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon
Speaking of redemption games, cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon had, arguably, one of the best bounce-back games of his career after being one of the more scrutinized players on the SF 49ers roster this season.
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Witherspoon, who has found himself on the weekly inactive list as a healthy scratch too much this season, got the start in place of injured cornerback Richard Sherman.
And it’s weird to think the Niners actually had something of an upgrade with the move. At least for one game.
The former third-round pick notched seven tackles like Jason Verrett, too, also registering one of them for a loss. But it was Witherspoon’s fourth-quarter interception that thwarted a prime Cardinals scoring chance in the red zone and helped preserve San Francisco’s one-score lead.
One of Witherspoon’s biggest knocks was his inconsistency. Yet the SF 49ers got the good version of Witherspoon in Week 16, showing he’s at least capable of coming up with big plays when the situation calls for them.
Next. Winners, losers from 49ers' Week 16 win over Cardinals. dark
That kind of performance, even if it’s not with the Niners next season, will likely warrant a decent free-agent contract on the open market in 2021.