49ers free agency: 4 roster needs team still needs to address
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers made sure their offensive line was secured in NFL free agency, but even other moves didn’t completely solve these remaining roster needs.
It’s awfully good the San Francisco 49ers upgraded their offensive line in NFL free agency, re-signing eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams while adding veteran center Alex Mack.
Those two moves alone all but eliminate the O-line as a positional worry for the rest of the offseason, stretching into the waning weeks of free agency frenzy and into the 2021 NFL Draft this April. Aside from perhaps a depth piece or two, general manager John Lynch and Co. can all but cross off the O-line from the Niners’ want list.
Additionally, San Francisco inked EDGE Samson Ebukam to a two-year deal while retaining cornerbacks Jason Verrett, Dontae Johnson and Emmanuel Moseley. Nose tackle D.J. Jones is also back, too, helping ensure the interior of the 49ers defensive line remains intact.
Still, the Niners do have some positional needs they’ll need to tackle, either with the diminishing pool of free agents or with one of their nine current picks in the upcoming draft.
Here are four specific spots where San Francisco can pay some attention.
No. 4: 49ers could still use a nickel cornerback
The market on former 49ers nickel corner K’Waun Williams has been notably cold despite him being one of the better slot-coverage guys over the past few years and a vital part of the team’s defense since 2017.
Williams could still return, which would cross this need off the list to an extent. But turning 30 years old before the regular season, the Niners may want to consider younger, long-term contingencies anyway.
Moseley could play in the slot, which is an option. But that would open up a void on the boundary anyway. And with Verrett’s lengthy injury history, despite his outstanding production in 2020, almost mandates San Francisco to spend some additional efforts at cornerback entirely. Not just at nickel.
Still, there remains a key void in Williams’ stead, which could still be addressed with a veteran before the start of the draft.
Luckily, nickel corners rarely receive the kind of money boundary corners receive, meaning Williams or a player of his ilk likely won’t be overly expensive.
Especially if the general market on nickel backs isn’t overly hot.