49ers news: 4 positions fully up for grabs entering 2021
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers don’t have too many key positions open for grabs in 2021, yet these four spots on the offseason roster are fully open for competition.
One of the benefits from the San Francisco 49ers re-signing a significant chunk of their pending free-agent class during the offseason was it lessened the pressure on general manager John Lynch and Co. from having to hit multiple home runs with their total of eight selections in the 2021 NFL Draft.
In turn, Lynch was able to use the bulk of those selections on players initially tabbed to be backups this season with the long-term potential of eventually taking over starting roles.
With the Niners kicking off their offseason workouts, there aren’t too many jobs of significance up for grabs. The majority of battles in OTAs and in training camp will focus on backup jobs and niche roles.
Yet these four specific spots on the roster are fully up for grabs, which should make for some enticing storylines between now and Week 1.
49ers Position Battle No. 4: Boundary Cornerback
San Francisco has one of its two starting outside cornerbacks penned in for 2021, Jason Verrett. The other boundary cornerback, Emmanuel Moseley, isn’t necessarily locked in, though.
Moseley has bounced back and forth from the starting lineup the last two years. And while he’s a capable starter, the 49ers onboarding two rookie corners in this year’s draft, Michigan’s Ambry Thomas and Oregon’s Deommodore Lenoir, indicates they’re not quite satisfied with the depth chart.
Potentially not satisfied with Moseley being a full-time starter either.
Thomas and Lenoir are both press-man corners, indicating a possible shift away from the previous zone-coverage schemes. Yet Thomas opted out of his 2020 campaign and might need a bit of time to acclimate to the NFL, while Lenoir’s 5-foot-10 frame could potentially make him a favorite to eventually take over slot duties.
Related Story: 3 things to expect from rookie Deommodore Lenoir in 2021
That said, both players can play on the boundary. And if Moseley’s inconsistent status is any indication, there’s an easy assumption the Niners won’t hesitate to go with a rookie over Moseley if one of those first-year players impresses enough this summer.