6 former 49ers from 2021 who are still surprisingly free agents

Former 49ers free-agent No. 2: Cornerback Josh Norman

Alright, so maybe it’s not too big a surprise veteran cornerback Josh Norman is still a free agent.

This, after leading the team in defensive pass-interference calls last season and despite him boasting seven forced fumbles during his lone stint with the Niners. After all, and in light of San Francisco’s highlighted cornerback woes for much of 2021, Norman was benched in favor of other options late in the year and never reclaimed his starting job back once the 49ers got into the playoffs.

A one-time first-team All-Pro, some have argued Norman has been on the decline anyway over the last few years, although his own name recognition certainly makes him a commodity worth looking at for other teams in need of a veteran presence.

Whether or not that turns into any meaningful contract for him at any point soon, especially considering he’s 34 years old now, is anyone’s guess.

What’s not up to guess is the reality Norman didn’t finish his 2021 campaign with the Niners in the kind of way he would have hoped.

Had things gone differently, it’d be likely another team would have plucked him up by now.