SF 49ers: 5 most important free agents heading into 2021

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K’Waun Williams #24 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) /

No. 3: SF 49ers CB K’Waun Williams

Slot cornerback K’Waun Williams might have bizarrely shown his worth just as much when he was off the field as when he was on it this season.

Although he was often brilliant in 2020, the struggles the SF 49ers had in filling his role during the eight games in missed said a great deal about how good Williams is in his position.

Williams was another of the John Lynch-Kyle Shanahan regime’s first free agents, an under-the-radar one-year deal worth just $615,000. But a strong first year was parlayed into a three-year, $8.5 million extension the following season.

During that stretch, Williams has been one of the NFL’s best slot corners, a position that is more starter than sub package these days. And he proved that in spite of his slight frame, he’s an excellent cover corner and able tackler. Just ask the Arizona Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald.

The question will be whether the SF 49ers and Williams can come to an agreement over what he’s worth as he heads into his age-30 season.

Williams is no doubt a valuable member of the secondary. With the team already thin at cornerback — only Emmanuel Moseley is under team control for 2021 — the former Pitt Panther should be a priority heading into this offseason.