The 49ers lost nickel cornerback K’Waun Williams to NFL free agency, meaning they’ll either turn to on-roster options or look elsewhere.
It shouldn’t be too big a surprise the San Francisco 49ers are losing veteran nickel cornerback K’Waun Williams in NFL free agency.
A year after returning to the Niners on a team-friendly one-year deal, the soon-to-be 31-year-old Williams is looking at what’ll potentially be his last sizable contract on the open market, even though nickel backs rarely receive the kind of money boundary corners receive.
And as things turned out, Williams is now joining the Denver Broncos on a two-year deal, according to Pro Football Network’s Mike Kaye:
Former #49ers CB K'Waun Williams is closing in on a two-year, $7 million deal with the #Broncos, per league source.
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) March 22, 2022
Williams now joins former San Francisco players, offensive lineman Tom Compton and nose tackle D.J. Jones, in Denver.
Good for him. But what the 49ers will care about is trying to find a way to plug the void left by Williams, one of general manager John Lynch’s first free-agent acquisitions way back in 2017 when the team was undergoing a massive rebuild.
It won’t be easy. Williams, when healthy, was a mainstay of the Niners defense and provided exceptional play for someone with a 5-foot-9, 185-pound stature.
San Francisco already added a top cornerback in NFL free agency, former Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Charvarius Ward, but he’ll be expected to upgrade one of those two boundary spots.
And with limited resources available, financially speaking, Lynch probably isn’t going to look at spending big money on the free-agent market to replace Williams.
Although it is possible and one of the first ways the 49ers go about replacing Williams on the depth chart this offseason.
Option No. 1: 49ers dip into dwindling NFL free agency pool or test 2022 NFL Draft
Right now, according to Over the Cap, the Niners have $7.48 million in cap space, meaning they can afford perhaps one or two modestly priced free agents.
That number will increase, of course, after San Francisco eventually moves quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. But if the 49ers want to get a likable body in to replace K’Waun Williams now, they’d have to act soon.
As of this writing, some potential names to watch to fill the void could be veterans like Kyle Fuller or Bryce Callahan, who ironically both spent last year with Denver and were essentially phased out. Fuller, in particular, has doubled as both an inside and outside cornerback. And while he might not be the same caliber player at this career in comparison to his Pro Bowl campaigns with the Chicago Bears some years ago, a veteran presence is always welcomed.
It’s also feasible the Niners look to the NFL Draft as an option, too. Adding Charvarius Ward all but eliminates the idea San Francisco will use its top pick, currently No. 61 overall, on a cornerback.
But with two picks in Round 3, and at least one selection in Rounds 4 through 7, it wouldn’t be shocking to see that route pan out as well.
Option No. 2: 49ers go with second-year pro Deommodore Lenoir
Similar in build to K’Waun Williams, San Francisco’s fifth-round draft choice from a year ago, former Oregon cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, certainly has to factor in as a possibility to occupy the No. 1 nickel spot.
At 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds, Lenoir had some splash moments during training camp and in the preseason a year ago, eventually starting two games early in the regular season before losing favor as the year went along and regularly finding himself inactive.
That’s usually what a 125.4 passer rating allowed will do.
Read More: 3 things to expect from Niners CB Deommodore Lenoir
Still, young defensive backs often struggle in the transition from the college ranks to the NFL, and a Lenoir ascent certainly wouldn’t be the first time 49ers fans saw a rookie go from an inexperienced pro to a safe option on defense in a full season’s time.
A problem, though, is Lenoir almost exclusively played boundary duties with the Ducks, and his twitchiness (or lack thereof) might not be sufficient enough for the wide array of coverage responsibilities he’d have in the middle of the defensive formation.
However, Lenoir certainly has to be considered a plausible option for the Niners and may surprise enough to work his way up the depth chart.
Option No. 3: 49ers move Emmanuel Moseley inside on nickel formations
Right now, San Francisco’s starting two cornerbacks are Charvarius Ward and Emmanuel Moseley, the No. 3 guy being 2021 rookie Ambry Thomas, who struggled early but eventually found some footing late in the year after receiving some much-needed playing time.
The depth chart won’t exactly reflect the deployment in that kind of order, though.
It’s important to note nickel defenses are the predominant formations now used, a third cornerback lining up on the field at the expense of a linebacker (usually) coming off of it.
While Moseley can play the boundary in base formations, perhaps the best option the 49ers have right now is to bump him inside on nickel downs, letting Thomas play on the boundary in such packages.
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It wouldn’t be a bad move. Last year, according to Pro Football Focus, Moseley allowed a passer rating of 79.2 when covering the slot, albeit on minimal opportunities. In 2020, that number was 77.5, while his 2019 efforts were at 85.4.
Not bad.
Aside from depth and injury concerns, this might be the Niners’ best option, as it wouldn’t require the investment of another high-profile draft pick in a cornerback and wouldn’t cost additional finances via NFL free agency.
Don’t be surprised if this is how San Francisco ultimately replaces K’Waun Williams this year.