SF 49ers: 4 low-profile free agents team should bring back in 2021
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: SF 49ers Cornerback Dontae Johnson
No, the Niners shouldn’t retain veteran cornerback Dontae Johnson as a starting-caliber option.
But as an experienced reserve who can play multiple positions within the secondary, Johnson does make a lot of sense.
Johnson ended up seeing a lot of action in 2020, although not necessarily by intent. Yet injuries to fellow corners like Richard Sherman, Jason Verrett, Emmanuel Moseley and K’Waun Williams forced Johnson into 14 games where he saw a notable 26 percent of all defensive snaps. While his efforts during those games weren’t overly impressive, having an experienced defensive back could do wonders for a position that could see a lot of departures between now and 2021.
All four of those other corners are scheduled to hit NFL free agency, too. Even if San Francisco retains one or two names, there are going to be depth shortages.
Additionally, should the SF 49ers use one of their picks in the upcoming NFL Draft on a cornerback, it’s frequent to see young defensive backs struggle in the transition from the college ranks to the pros.
Re-signing Johnson would at least guard a bit against a complete lack of experienced corners in the secondary.