SF 49ers: 5 free agents Niners can’t afford to let go in 2021
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: SF 49ers Cornerback Jason Verrett
No position group is likely to suffer more NFL free agency attrition than the Niners cornerback room.
Corners Richard Sherman, Ahkello Witherspoon, K’Waun Williams, Jamar Taylor, Dontae Johnson and Jason Verrett are all poised to hit the free-agent market this offseason, and reserve corner Emmanuel Moseley is a restricted free agent, too.
It’s going to be impossible for San Francisco to re-sign all those names. But if there’s a priority on the list, it should be Verrett.
Granted, Verrett’s injury history is a cause for concern, and it might block the SF 49ers from inking him to a lucrative deal. After all, aside from a relatively healthy 2020 campaign, Verrett appeared in just six regular-season games between 2016 and 2019.
Last year, however, Verrett played like a Pro Bowl-level defensive back. With his career seemingly flamed out because of injuries up to that point, perhaps he realizes the Niners continued to have faith in him, and that faith paid off.
Verrett might return on the cheap, yes. But what makes a would-be re-sign deal more important is the fact the position is going to lose a lot of veterans, and few rookie defensive backs transition from the college ranks to the pros quickly.
If San Francisco wants a veteran presence at the position in 2021, Verrett needs to be the guy.